After the last song, right in between the sound of yodeling and the excerpt from "My Man Godfrey," Bob Dylan saying [... to get caught.] something I cant quite understand.

Bob Dylan: That was “Hobo's Lullaby” – the song written by Goebel Reeves, who grew up middle class, but became a hobo known as “the Texas Drifter.” And sometimes he was known as “the Yodeling Rustler.”

[sound of yodeling]

Bob Dylan: He must have wanted to get caught.

Quote:

Oh, and after the word about “Swedish Model” (after the song “The Welfare Turns its Back on You” by Freddie King) ther's brief excerpt from some movie - a girl saying something loudly - possibly in Swedish. - If anyone knows what that is, please share)

The lady in question is "Ula the receptionist" from the original (1968) "The Producers," and what she is saying (in English with a heavy Swedish accent) is "Get car."

Any idea of what song can be heard in the background during Dylan's outro?

14 Devil

The Lady in Red (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. An ambulance races though downtown. An off duty cops parks in front of his ex-wife's house.

The Lady in Red: It’s Theme Time Radio Hour with your host, Bob Dylan.

[‘familiar’ sound of hell]

[Reverend Gary Davis – “The Devil’s Dream” in the backgroung]

Bob Dylan: This is Theme Time Radio Hour, and there’s hell to pay. Him the Almighty Power Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky With hideous ruin and combustion down To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms. John Milton, “Paradise Lost.” In the background, Reverend Gary Davis, The Devil’s Dream. We’re talking about the Devil. You might know him better as Beelzebub, Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Old Scratch, Moloch of Hell, Leviathan, the Prince of Darkness, the Anti-Christ, or as they call him in Spain, El Diablo. Doesn’t matter what you call him: just stay out of his way.

Bob Dylan: We’re gonna start things off with Robert Johnson – the man who, they say, knew a little bit about the Prince of Darkness. According to legend, Robert Johnson made a deal with the Devil at the crossroads of Highway 61 and Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He traded his soul – that’s what they say. This is his song “Me and the Devil Blues.”

[Robert Johnson – “Me and the Devil Blues”]

Bob Dylan: That was Robert Johnson, talking about walking side by side with the Devil. “Me and the Devil Blues.” Rober was born in Mississippi about 1909, and died mysteriously in 19 and 38. I don’t know if Robert Johnston sold his soul to the Devil, but he sure did get his ticket punched early.

[Johann Sebastian Bach – “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” excerpt]

Bob Dylan: The Louvin Brothers – Charlie and Ira – on of the great Close harmony brother acts. The sound of Ira’s mandoline and Chet Atkins guitar making the best music this side of heaven, even when singing about Satan. This songs of death, sin and despair resonate with raw power and stark beauty. In this song Ira preaches: “Any belief in a higher power demands a similar belief in reality of darker forces.” Here are The Luvin Brothers, “Satan is Real.”

[The Louvin Brothers – “Satan is Real”]

Bob Dylan: The Louvin Brothers, “Satan is Real.” You gotta see the album cover for this. Go look it up on Yahoo! It shows Charlie and Ira, standing in front of a 12-foot high plywood Lucifer that they set on fire. And almost ended up setting themselves on fire. Go take a look.

[brimstone fires up]

Bob Dylan: What a long strange trip it’s been. The Grateful Dead started out as a bluegrass band called Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. They became a house band at Ken Kesey's Acid Tests and changed their name to The Grateful Dead. In 19 and 70 they put out the album “American Beauty,” concentrating more on songs than some of their earlier psychedelic records. This song is a road story, a hitchhiking journey of the early 70’s counterculture, about someone who lit out from Reno, and was trailed by twenty hounds. “Friend of the Devil.”

[Grateful Dead – “Friend of the Devil”]

Bob Dylan: Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead, “Friend of the Devil.” Another friend of the Devil was Anton LaVey, the father of Satanism. He was born in 1930 in Cook County, Illinois. In 19 and 66, he founded the First Church of Satan and wrote the Satanic Bible. In 19 and 73, Sammy Davis Jr. joined the Church of Satan. In 19 and 97, Mr. LaVey died. I wonder where he went?

[thunder]

Bob Dylan: There are some thick thunderheads coming into the West (Idistral By Richard W. Custer?), look like Satan’s working real hard. You might wanna stay in for the rest of the night listening to Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: Right now, Elvis Presley has got a song, about the Devil in disguise. You know Elvis wore a cross, a star of David, and the Hebrew letter “Chai.” He explained his jewelry habit by saying, “I don’t want to miss out on heaven due to a technicality.”

[Elvis Presley – “Devil in Disguise”]

Bob Dylan: That was Elvis Presley. The song reached number three in 19 and 63.

[sound of arbalest?]

Bob Dylan: The most requested photo from the National Archives is the shot of Elvis offering his services as a Drug Enforcement Agent to President Richard Nixon. I wouldn’t trust either of them.

Bob Dylan: Bob Wills, king of Western swing, with His Texas Playboys. They had a country string section but they played pop songs, as if they were Jazz numbers. Here’s a song by Fred Rose. Talking about “Devil ain’t no lazy bones, he moans and groans, he’s a workingman, works 24 hours a day and travels like a lightning streak, strikes from town to town, and yes, yes, yes, if he gets you when you’re weak, he’ll tear your playhouse down.” Bob Wills, “The Davil ain’t Lazy.”

[Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys – “The Devil Ain't Lazy”]

Bob Dylan: Like it says in First Peter, Chapter 5, verse 8: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour.” Or as they also say, idle hands are the Devil’s playground.

Bob Dylan: Coming up next is “The Devil in Disguise,” by The Flying Burrito Brother. The song written by Chris Hillman and Graham Parsons. Originally this song was called “Christine’s Tune” about Christine Frka who was one of the GTO’s, which stood for “Girls Together.. Outrageously.” She was a notorious scene maker in Los Angeles, and when she died a couple of years later The Burritos felt bad for having portrait her in such an unflattering way, and changed the name of the song to “The Devil in Disguise.” The Flying Burrito Brothers, “Devil in Disguise.”

Bob Dylan: That was “The Flying Burrito Brothers,” here on Theme Time Radio Hour, where we’re talking about the Devil.

Bob Dylan: They called Robert Livingstone Thompson “Dandy,” because he was a naughty dresser. He also was one of the biggest hit-makers in Jamaican music, he recorded for the “Trojan” record label, alongside such veterans as Rico Rodriguez, and Ernie Ranglin. His 19 and 67 classic “Rudy, A Message to You,” was a hit twice – once in 1967, and then again in 19 and 79, by “The Specials.” Here he is Dandy Livingstone with some advice to Suzanne, “Suzanne Beware of the Devil.” I Hope she listens.

[Dandy Livingston – “Suzanne Beware of the Devil”]

Bob Dylan: I wonder if this is the same Suzanne whom Leonard Cohen immortalized. I’m gonna have to ask somebody.

Bob Dylan: “The Donays” only made one record – you only have to make one, if it's this good. This song was rediscovered by George Harrison, who sung lead on it when “The Beatles” recorded it on their second album. “The Donays” singing a song about “the man who got the Devil in his heard, But his eyes, they tantalize,” but she’s sayin’ “I'll take my chances,/ For romance is/ So important to me./ He'll never hurt me,/ He won't desert me,/ He's an angel sent to me.” That’s what she thinks.

[The Donays – “Devil in His Heart”]

Bob Dylan: This record was on the “Time Record” label – one of a handful of labels owned by New York producer Bob Shadd, and it featured lead vocalist Yvonne Alan. “The Donays,” “Devil in his Heart.” I wonder what “Donay” is, anyway.

Bob Dylan: W.C. Fields said: “Show me a great actor and I'll show you a lousy husband. Show me a great actress, and you've seen the devil.” Oscar Wilde once said: “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” Otis Spann: “The Devil could be anything from soup to nuts.” Otis was the fines Piano Player ever to play with Muddy Waters, and he released a few great records on his own. Like this one, from 19 and 54, “It Must’ve Been the Devil.” A rare example of B.B. King sitting in with an electric Chicago band. This record was recorded after an all night party, and it sure sounds like it.

[Otis Spann – “It Must Have Been the Devil”]

Bob Dylan: That was Otis Spann with B.B. King on a guitar. You know, I heard a mighty rumbling. Deep down in the ground. It must have been the Devil. Otis Spann giving the Devil his due, here on Theme Time Radio Hour, dreams, schemes and themes.

Bob Dylan: Here’s a poem by Dylan Thomas, you’ll have to excuse my French:Incarnate devil in a talking snake,The central plains of Asia in his garden,In shaping-time the circle stung awake,In shapes of sin forked out the bearded apple,And God walked there who was a fiddling wardenAnd played down pardon from the heavens’ hill.-Dylan Thomas. That’s right. Def poet.

[Johnny Tyler – “Devil's Hot Rod” starts playin]

Bob Dylan: Some people go to hell in a hand basket. Others take a Hot Rod. Here’s Hohnny Tyler to tell you all about it.

[Johnny Tyler – “Devil's Hot Rod”]

Bob Dylan: Talking about the roof coming down on drunkard’s, everybody knows that they’ll soon be dead, the sinner wares up and begins to scream, when he thanks to Lord, ‘It was only a dream!’ Johnny Tyler was born in Arkansas, died in Missouri, he made a bunch of records and that’s all you need to know about him. Exept, that his first real name was Lehman. Oh, I’m sorry! His real first name was Lehman.

Bob Dylan: Here's another barn burner. This is my man, Skip James. Born in 19 and 02, Bentonia, Mississippi, died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 19 and 69. Skip had a style that was celestially divine, sounded like it was coming from beyond the veil. Magic in the grooves. He had a style that was ghostly and other-worldly, rare and unusual, mysterious and vague. You won't believe what you'll hear. Listen for yourself and you'll see – you be the judge.

[Skip James – “Devil Got My Woman”]

Bob Dylan: That was Skip James. Talking about how he’d rather be the Devil than be that woman’s men. “Devil Got My Woman” was recorder for the “Paramount” label – that had nothing to do with “Paramount Pictures” – “Paramount Records” was found in 1910 a subsidiary of the Wisconsin Chair Company of Grafton, Wisconsin. Charlie Patton recorded there too. They started a record company to encourage people who otherwise wouldn’t buy record players – to buy one.

[Count Basie and His Orchestra – “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Next up – Count Basie and His Orchestra, featuring Helen Humes, she replaced Billy Holliday in Count Basie’s Band, and did a hell of a job. Here’s Helen Humes singing that she oughta cross you off her list, and that fate seems to give her heart a twist, between Devil ant the Deep Blue Sea.

[Count Basie and His Orchestra – “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”]

Bob Dylan: That was “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” featuring Helen Humes, along with Count Basie on piano, and Lester Young on tenor saxophone. “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” is an old nautical term. “The Devil” is the name for the seam in the upper deck planking, next to the ship’s waterways. There’s very little space to get at this seam, making it a difficult and awkward job. They say “between the Devil and the deep blue sea,” since there’s only the thickness of the ship’s hull planking between this seam and the sea. A knotty job indeed.

Bob Dylan: Twyla Tharp knows great dancing, she’s a great dancer herself. She told me all about the wild dance that the Devil does.

[Twyla Tharp: The Devil goes in counterclockwise motion. Always. In ritual, in some cultures when they’re exorcising of the spirits inhabiting in the house, the movement is counterclockwise. To get the spirits OUT of the house, because otherwise, like any other in-laws they wouldn’t leave you house for-ever! You walk counterclockwise around the house and that pushes them out because it sucks out the air [mimicking of suction] – creates a void, and they’re sucked out by the counterclockwise motion! Of the posession.]

Bob Dylan: Wow!

[Shorty Long – “Devil With a Blue Dress On” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: “Devil With a Blue Dress On” it wasn’t done originally by Mitch Ryder. It was done by this man – Shorty Long. They nicknamed him “Shorty” because he only stood five feet tall. Here he is, talking about “Wearin' a wig hat and shades to match, High-heel sneakers and an alligator hat.”

[Shorty Long – “Devil With a Blue Dress On”]

Bob Dylan: “Devil With a Blue Dress On.” I wonder if he means Monica Lewinsky? Shorty Long, who had two hits and then got ignored by “Motown.” Marvin Gaye asked Holland-Dozier-Holland: “Why do you want to produce me? Why don’t you produce Shorty Long?” Sadly, Shorty Long’s career was cut short, when he died in a boating accident in 19 and 69. Stevie Wonder played the harmonica at his funeral and placed it on the casket afterwards.

Bob Dylan: We’re talking about Devil here on Theme Time Radio Hour. And the Devil always look sharp. One of the reasons he look sharp is that he had a good haircut. Here’s Beck to tell you all about it. This is from his hit album “Odelay,” produced by the Dust Brothers. Back says, this song is “A really simplistic metaphor for the evil of vanity.” I just thought, you can dance to it.

[Beck – “Devil's Haircut”]

Bob Dylan: That was Beck, he’s talking about garbage man trees, and jukebox gasoline, sympathy crutches, the dropout buses, bleeding noses and brief case blues. With a “Devil’s Haircut.” Here are some other haircuts you might like: Crew cut, an Afro, a Pompadour, the Shaved head, the Buzz cut, a Navajo(?), Buster brown, a Bowl cut, 360 waves, a Brass cut(?), a Burr cut, a Bzzz man’s cut(?), Caesar cut, Cornrows and a Cupcake cut, Mohawk or Mullet, Pageboy or Razor cut – all available at Carl’s Barbershop in the lobby of the Abernathy building.

[electrifying sound]

Bob Dylan: Alright, now I’m gonna dip into the Electronic mail-bad, and let’s read al email, from Elena Garopee, from Philadelphia, Pensylvania. She asks: “Dear Theme Time Radio Hour, I’m doing a paper for school. Can you give me a list of famous people, who died in car crashes?” Well, Elena, I don’t know what they’re teaching in school nowadays, but here’s a list for you: Two princesses: Princess Grace of Monaco and Britain’s’ Princess Diana; the famous 20th century dance innovator Isadora Duncan; Albert Camus, the author of “The Stranger;” James Dean – died in his Porsche Spider; action-painter Jackson Pollock; beautiful blonde actress Jayne Mansfield; and old blood’n’guts himself, General George Patton, Jr., all died in car accidents. So be careful when you get behind the wheel. You never know when the checkered flag comes down and you find yourself in a race with the Devil.

Bob Dylan: From Norfolk, Virgina, Vincent Eugene Craddock better known as Gene Vincent. Playing along with his Blue Caps, featuring, the outstanding lead guitar of Cliff Gallup.

[Tom Waits – “Way Down in the Hole” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Our next peformer once said, “There ain’t no Devil, that’s just God when he’s drunk.” Here’s that old hellraiser again, Tom Waits, from his 19 and 87 record, “Frank’s Wild Years,” and “Way Down In The Hole.” A song where he’s walking through the garden and watchin’ his back, walkin’ the straight and narrow track. If you walk with Jesus he’s gonna save your soul. You gotta keep the Devil way down in the hole. Here’s Tom Waits, “Way Down in the Hole”

[Tom Waits – “Way Down in the Hole”]

Bob Dylan: Tom Waits pounded it out, low on schmaltz and a real show-stopper, not pulling any punches. “Way Down in the Hole” was used as the theme for the HBO drama “The Wire.” Every ear someone different sung it: they used Tom’s version in season two, season one featured a version by “TheBlind Boys of Alabama,” and season three was sung by “The Neville Brothers.” All of them keeping the Devil way down in the hole.

[unknown gospel playing in the background]

Bob Dylan: Now it’s time to climb out of that hole with the Devil, and shut the door on another Theme Time Radio Hour. We’re gonna leave you now with the words of George Harrison, who said: “Gossip is the Devil’s radio.” I don’t know about that, but I hope Theme Time Radio Hour is your radio. We’ll see you next week – sure as hell.

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “Eyes.”

Bob Dylan: Remember, God created the world. But the Devil’s the one keeping it active.

I believe it's Sister Iramae Littleton "Go Devil Go" from 1948. On a record called God Don't Like It from '68. I've seen various (mis?)spellings of her name: Ira Mae Littleton, Littlejon/Littlejohn and also Lillie Mae Littlejohn, so it's easy to be confused here.

I believe it's Sister Iramae Littleton "Go Devil Go" from 1948. On a record called God Don't Like It from '68. I've seen various (mis?)spellings of her name: Ira Mae Littleton, Littlejon/Littlejohn and also Lillie Mae Littlejohn, so it's easy to be confused here.

Thanks a lot, Wandu!!! Seems like you're completely right.

Let's move on to the "Eyes." I've no questions about this one. I'm sure I messed up somewhere, and not once. But... watcha gonna do..)

15 Eyes

The Lady in Red (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. A trail of perfume follows a girl leaving a cheap hotel. A man wakes up in an alleyway.

The Lady in Red: It’s Theme Time Radio Hour.

[“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” plays in the background]

Bob Dylan: Welcome once again to Theme Time Radio Hour! This week the eyes(I’s) have it. Whether they're blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, you got pink eye or red eye. If you're an eyesore, or if you're walleyed, we got the song for you. So sit back, relax, rest your eyes, and listen.

Bob Dylan: In the background – “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” a song written in 19 and 33 by Jerome Kern. Here are some other things that can get in your eyes: dust, sand, eyelashes, lemon juice, or a finger. We’re talking about eyes on Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: Charles Edward Anderson Berry, better known as Chuck, with his story about being arrested on charges of unemployment; sittin’ in the witness stand; flyn' across the desert in the TWA; walkin’ 30 miles en route to Bombay; Round (the) and third (he was) and headed for home. It’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” Chuck Berry.

[Chuck Berry – Brown Eyed Handsome Man]

Bob Dylan: I got to agree with John Lennon. He said, “If you’re gonna give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.” “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” Keep your eyes open, or as far as I can see, we’re talking about eyes, right here on Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: Here’s that great bluegrass singer, Jimmy Martin of Sneedville, Tennessee. With “20/20 Vision,” in 19 and 54 “Victor” recorded, backed by the Osborne Brothers. Jimmy was a lead vocalist for Bill Monroe’s “Bluegrass Boys.” From March of 19 and 49 to 19 and 51. Recorded 56 sides with Monroe, and then had a number of hits on his own. Like this one, where death would be too kind, and he’s talking about a doctor who should’ve been examining the eyes of his mind, eyes to behold and discern, distinguish and note, notice and observe, perceive, remark, make out, scan, penetrate and pierce and probe. Here’s Jimmy Martin, “20/20 Vision.”

[Jimmy Martin – “20/20 Vision”]

Bob Dylan: That was Jimmy Martin with “20/20 Vision.” 20/20 vision is what the average person can see from 20 feet away, if you have 20/40 vision, it means that you can see at 20 feet what the average person can see from 40 feet. In England, where they have the metric system, the standard is 6 meters and is called 6/6 vision, but that wouldn’t be as good a song title for Jimmy Martin. Jimmy passed away last year, and it was always a bone of contention that he was never invited to join The Grand Ol’ Opry. In my mind, he should’ve always been there. Jimmy Martin, say what you will about him, but he was no jive turkey.

[page turns]

Bob Dylan: From Belfast, Ireland, George Ivan Morrison, talkin’ about his “Brown Eyed Girl,” on the “Bang” record label. First solo hit, after he left the band “Them.” Here he is skippin’ and jumpin’, with his heart thumpin’ in the misty morning fog, going down the old mine with the transistor radio, hidin’ behind the rainbow walls, slippin’ and-a slidin’ along the waterfall, with you, his Brown Eyed Girl.

[Van Morrison – “Brown Eyed Girl”]

Bob Dylan: That was Van Morrison. In April 2000 and 5, the White House announced that “Brown Eyed Girl” gets regular rotation on George W. Bush’s iPod. Hmm. I’m glad he’s got good taste in music.

Bob Dylan: Here comes the singing brakeman, Jimmie Rodgers, with the song he wrote along with Lula Belle White. “My Blue Eyed Jane,” recorded in 19 and 30 at the “Hollywood Recording Studios,” unfortunately, Jimmie never appeared on any major radio show or even played on The Grand Ol’ Opry. But we’re got plenty of time for him here on Theme Time Radio Hour.

[Jimmie Rodgers – My Blue Eyed Jane]

Bob Dylan: That was “My Blue Eyed Jane,” my little pal, I never knew a sweeter gal. Jimmy Rodgers would’ve loved to have lived in Finland – they say they have the highest percentage of blue eyed people. In the mid-20th century when Hollywood started to make movies in color, blue eyes were suddenly considered very desirable.

[“Camille”(?) excerpt:Unfortunately, I like it too.Why unfortunately?Because his eyes have made love to me all evening.That’s lie! He merely glanced at you! ]

Bob Dylan: Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown got himself in a little bit of trouble, because, she winked her eye, and made a pass at him. “Gatemouth” was given his nickname by high school instructor who said, “He had a voice like a rusty gate.” Here’s “Gatemouth” Brown.

[Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown – “She Winked Her Eye”]

Bob Dylan: Point your pistol the other way, you don’t wanna have blood and murder on your clean, clean hands today. “She Winked Her Eye.” That was Texas blues guitar great Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. Also a fine fiddle player. He, unfortunately, passed away last year, in Orange, Texas.

Bob Dylan: The eyes are the window to the soul, that proverb goes all the way back to Cicero, who put it: “Faith is a picture, of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter.” Man! I'm like a one-eyed cat peeping in a seafood store! That’s a real eye-opener!

Bob Dylan: Al Martino, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the cradle of independence. His career was interrupted, supposedly, by gangster interference, which kept his out of the United States for much of the 50’s. He came back in time to have this big hit – a 19 and 66 classic about Spanish eyes, “Please say, ‘Si, Si,’ and (if) you and your Spanish eyes will wait for me, you’ve got the [inhales] prettiest eyes in all the Spanish Mexico.”

[Al Martino – “Spanish Eyes”]

Bob Dylan: “Spanish Eyes,” Al Martino. He played Johnny Fontaine in “The Godfather,” the character supposedly based on Old Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra.

[“The Godfather” excerpt:Fontaine: Oh, Godfather, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do...Godfather: You can’t act like a man! What’s the matter with you?]

Bob Dylan: Ernestine Anderson was a teenager when she sung with Russell Jacquet’s band. She lated sung with Johnny Otis, but made her first record with Shifty Henry’s Orchestra. She struck out on her own in the 50’s and had a number of hits in the 60’s, including this one, on the “Sue” Record label, where she’s talking about life being just a test, and the best is best, forget the rest, when two hearts are blessed, you don’t have to guess. “Keep an Eye on Love,” Ernestine Anderson.

[Ernestine Anderson – “Keep an Eye on Love”]

Bob Dylan: Ernestine Anderson, “Keep an Eye on Love,” on Theme Time Radio Hour. What do the following people have in common? David Bowie, Kiefer Sutherland, Christopher Walken, George Washington, Tommy Smothers, Joe Pesci, and Louis Pasteur? That’ right – they all have heterochromia – one green eye, and one brown eye, or to say it another way – two different colored eyes.

[“Black Eye” trailer: “Got a minute? Dig this case: A pretty beach town suddenly seized by trouble, big trouble. They call him “Black Eye,” and baby, he’s the best. Black Eye is a canned cop turned private detective, and he just loves the case where the foes are fail – he’s got one now. Fred Williamson, stars as the hot crime hunter, Rosemary Forsyth as the pretty part of this case. “Black Eye” – something else. From “Warner Brothers.” Rated PG – parental guidance suggested.”]

Bob Dylan: Saxophonist Chuck Higgins on the “Dootone” record label, a song called “Eyeballin’.” Look all carefully, scrutinize, look somebody up and down, check ‘em out. He’s talking about eyeballing being no crime but he’s got an eye-ballin women ’til I go stone blind.

[Chuck Higgins– “Eyeballin'”]

Bob Dylan: Part of the Jim Crow laws in the South prohibited a black person from looking at a white person in the eye. And a black person could be sent to jail for reckless eyeballing. Fortunately, that isn’t what Chuck Higgins is singing about. Chuck retired from performing to become a music teacher. I once had a cross-eyed teacher who couldn’t control his pupils. But I’m sure Chuck Higgins could.

Bob Dylan: Next up, the Bolick Brothers, from East Hickory, North Carolina. Their producer suggested that instead of calling themselves the Bolick Brothers, they should take their name from the Blue Ridge Mountains, so they would be different from the Monroe Brothers, the Delmore Brothers, and the Dixon Brothers. The Everly Brothers and the Louvin Brothers acknowledged the influence of the Bolick Brothers, better known as “The Blue Sky Boys.” Bill Bolick also performed with another local group, “The Crazy Hickory Nuts.” We should’ve played them on our coffee show, and nail it to the counter. Anyway, here are “The Blue Sky Boys.”

[The Blue Sky Boys – “Brown Eyes”]

Bob Dylan: We’re talking about eyes, and that was “The Blue Sky Boys,” talking about some brown ones. Here on Theme Time Radio Hour. Remember what Gandhi said: “An eye for an eye leaves the entire world blind.”

Bob Dylan: Coning up next, the host of “King Biscuit Flower Hour,” the Goat, Sonny Boy Williamson. A sight for sore eyes. Sonny Boy lived in Twist, Arkansas, for awhile with Howlin’ Wolf’s sister – Mary Burnett, and taught Howlin’ Wolf to play harmonica. This is the only song on the rock opera “Tommy,” that the Who did not write. Sonny Boy Williamson. He’s wishing you could see his woman, because you could see by the way she walks that he daddy must have been a millionaire.

[Sonny Boy Williamson – “Eyesight to the Blind”]

Bob Dylan: Sonny Boy Williamson, “Eyesight to the Blind” on Theme Time Radio Hour. Here’s the list of famous bluesmen who were blind: Snooks Eaglin, Blind Joe Reynolds, Blind Willie Johnson, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Blind Willie McTell, Sonny Terry, and Blind Lemmon Jefferson. They were blind, but they all had great vision.

Bob Dylan: We’re pulling up the curtain now on George Jones, the ol’ Possum. We don’t usually do commercials on Theme Time Radio Hour, but I wanted to tell you that George Jones has his own line of dog food and sausage. Enjoy them.

[George Jones – “Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong”]

Bob Dylan: George Jones was a Marine, and served his country proudly. And Frank Sinatra once called him “the second best white male singer.” George’s drinking was legendary, and he credits his wife Nancy Sepulvado with rescuing him from the bottle, thank you Nancy for making sure that George sticks around.

[Mexican band singing “Aye-aye-aye-aye...”]

Bob Dylan: That’s right, we’re talking about eyes, on Theme Time Radio Hour. Here’s the song about some raging eyes by Nick Lowe. For a while there he was Johnny Cashes son-in-law, married to Carlene Carter. Nick is a songwriter and an artist, and produced many great records by artists like “The Damned” and “The Pretenders.” Here’s Nick talking about “Raging Eyes” that you don’t have to be a beauty, or a Juliet, but you can still (roll) rope a Romeo in. “Raging Eyes,” Nick Lowe.

[Nick Lowe – “Raging Eyes”]

Bob Dylan: Nick Lowe. Raging eyes can express anger, anticipation, boredom, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, shame, sorrow, and surprise. I guess that’s why some people wear sunglasses. That was “Raging Eyes,” here’s eyes of another variety – Bloodshot variety: eyes that look like two cherries in a glass of buttermilk, eyes that can turn black and make you find the guy that beat you up and make you take him back; Now just because you're pretty, and you think you're mighty wise, you tell me that you love me then you roll those big brown eyes. Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris.

[Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris – “Bloodshot Eyes”]

Bob Dylan: That was one and only “Mr.Blues” Harris, with eyes that tell a story of where you were last night. Eyes become bloodshot because the tiny blood vessels become engorged in response to a foreign contaminant or an irritant. Or, perhaps, you just had a little too much the nights before.

Bob Dylan: Ran into Ellen Barkin The other Days in Walgreens, I was buying socks, I don’t know what size it was, I’m just eyeballing. Anyway, she started talking to me about eyes.

[Ellen Barkin: Our eyes are windows to the soul, i don’t know but you certainly can tell a lot about someone from look into their eyes. My favorite color of eyes are green. I can’t quite figure it out, because I hate nature and I hate trees.]

Bob Dylan: We’re talking about eyes here, on Theme Time Radio Hour. Evidently, everything is not written on email these days, this is an actual letter. This one from Mary Jo Salter, from Salt Lake City. She writes in: “Dear Theme Time, I hope you can help, I know Johnny Cash once recorded a song with following lyrics: “I never got over those blue eyes, I see them everywhere,” I can’t think of the name of the song. Can you help?” Well, I’ll be glad to, Mary Jo, that song is called “I Still Miss Someone.” Recorded for “Coulumbia Records” in 19 hundred and 58. And here’s how it goes.

[Johnny Cash – “I Still Miss Someone”]

Bob Dylan: I once heard, Johnny had a band, while he was a radio operator, for the US Airforse, serving in Lansberg, Germany. His combo there was called “The Landsberg Barbarians.” Johnny Cash – another radio performer – on Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: Next up is the great 50’s vocal group “The Flamingos.” Or as I call them, “The Falming O’s.” This song was written by Harry Warren, it was featured in original 19 and 30’s Broadway production of “42nd Street.” But this version is the classic – from 19 and 59, reached number three on the R&B charts, and number eleven on Pop charts. The other-worldly sound of “The Flaming O’s.” ‘Are the stars out tonight? I don't know if it's cloudy or bright, ‘cause I only have eyes for you.’

[The Flamingos – “I Only Have Eyes for You”]

Bob Dylan: “I Only Have Eyes for You,” The Falmingos. We’re talking about eyes on Theme Time Radio Hour. This is “The Streets,” actually, a guy named “Mike” Skinner. “Mike” started making records at the age of 15, but didn’t make any money from it until 2000 and 2. This is from his second album, called “A Grand No (sic!) Come for Free” – a concept record which tells a personal story, and resulted in a tidal wave of critical praise. When this song was released in 2000 and 4, it debuted at number one on the UK charts.

Bob Dylan: “Dry Your Eyes,” “The Streets.” We’re gonna close up shop now for another week. Get a little shut-eye. So get your weary eyes a rest, but don’t forget to keep the Watchful Eye. As Da Vinci said, “The eye sees the thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination does awake.” Remember, keep your eye on the prize. See you soon in a blink of an eye. Right here on Theme Time Radio Hour, dreams, schemes and themes. Goodnight ev’body!

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “Dogs.”

I don't know what is that - the heat or magnetic storms, but this edition if TTRH was extremely hard to transcribe. There's still plenty spots I'm really not sure about.

Well, first of all, what song is playing in the background in the end of the show? Sounds like a score from some old movie. Hope somebody knows which one.

Second - Travel courtesy of Sabudio International Airport. - I've read about "Abernathy building," "Carl's barbershop" etc, but never have seen discussions about "Sabudio International Airport," so I'm really not sure if I spell it right.

Third - I'm not even asking where this from - just help me transcribe this clip properly:[“Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Pooch wherever you are (we’re) coming to get you, especially huge schnauzers. A schnauzer about foot and a half long and five inches high has committed the (darndest of the) crime. A stealing the Sunday Times from the mouth of a Fox Terrier on Main st. last night. If you see this houndhood, phone Baskerville 7-6-5-3-woof! at once.”]

Fourth - les important, but still.. Kimmel/Silverman spot where they talking over each other, I'm not sure what Jimmy's saying:Jimmy Kimmel: The fact is when you have a dog it doesn’t matter if it’s raining, or it’s snowing whatever you have to take that dog out. And I don’t see what’s worth it – just so we go out and (left himself).Sarah Silverman: Baby, you got two kids!

Fifth - Dylan pronounces too fast some kinds of dogs before playin "I Wanna Be your Dog" I can't capture some names - and lists of breed don't really help. Hope someone here can:Bob Dylan: Next up, “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Perhaps you’d like to be my Black Nose Bouvier, or my Border Collie, my English Sheepdog or Shetland Sheepdog; maybe you’d like to be my French Bulldog or my Miniature Poodle or Blue ... Standard Poodle – take a pick. How ‘bout the Emperor Shar Pei? You can be my Italian Greyhound or my Applehead Chihuahua, my Springer Spaniel or my King Charles Spaniel? Oh, maybe you’d like to be my ... Rottweiler? ...one of those Willow Tree Mastiffs? Whatever.

I know, I'm asking a lot this time, but hey, before this I didn't bother you that much. Frank, don't ignore me!:)

16 Dogs

“The Lady in Red” (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. Newlyweds make love on the roof. A ringing phone goes unanswered.

[“If your family has dog that is shallow, dull, mindless, incorrigible and wayward, then listen to this record.”Slim Gaillard – “Serenade To A Poodle” playing in the background]

Bob Dylan: Welcome to Theme Time Radio Hour. Today we’re gonna talk about a highly variable, carnivorous, domesticated mammal. Man’s best friend. And if you’re thinkin’ “dog,” you’re right, buddy. So, get off the couch, get yourself a bowl of water, and heel.

Bob Dylan: Here’s a record that everyone always talks about, when they talk about how dull radio was before rock and roll. Personally, I don’t agree with them. I think Patti Page made beautiful records. A lot of people must agree with me, because in her seven-decade recording career, she charted a staggering one hundred and eleven times. Here’s Patti Page, asking the musical question, “How Much is that Doggie in the Window?”

[Patty Page – “(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window?”]

Bob Dylan: Eleven weeks at number one, “(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window?” Patty Page. Some other big records from 19 and 53 were “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” by Perry Como, “The Theme from Moulin Rouge” by Percy Faith and his Orchestra, “I’m Walking Behind You” by Eddie Fisher. But change was in the wind, ‘cause also in 19 and 53 Bill Haley’s “Crazy Man, Crazy” is the first rock’n’roll song to enter the Billboard charts. The Orioles’ “Crying in the Chappell” is the first black record to hit the pop charts. “Leo” Fender invented the Stratocaster guitar. And, perhaps, most importantly, Sam Phillips records the first Elvis Presley record in Memphis, Tennessee. Soon no one would be asking about that doggy in the window.

[dog barks]

Bob Dylan: This is Theme Time Radio Hour, and we’re gone to the dogs. Next up, a dog of a different color, Ronnie Self, from Tin Town, Missouri, or as Sheryl Crow would say: “Misoura.” It's a shame he didn't have more success as a singer, because the few records that he did make rocked like nobody's business. Forget about the danger and think about the fun.

[Ronnie Self – “Ain't I'm a Dog”]

Bob Dylan: The grammatically dubious “Ain't I'm a Dog.” That was Ronnie Self on the “Columbia” record label. It’s too bad that the big labels ignored rockabilly and blues. It would have been great to hear more the records of this caliber.

[“Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Pooch wherever you are (we’re) coming to get you, especially huge schnauzers. A schnauzer about foot and a half long and five inches high has committed the (darndest of the) crime. A stealing the Sunday Times from the mouth of a Fox Terrier on Main st. last night. If you see this houndhood, phone Baskerville 7-6-5-3-woof! at once.”]

Bob Dylan: Rufus Thomas wasn’t just a singer, he was also a disc jockey. I like that! He worked at WDIA – the Big Radio station in Memphis. And made some great records for “Stax” and “Sun” records. Rufus Thomas recorded a number of dog songs. Perhaps, the most famous was “Walking the Dog” which was also recorded by the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, but I have always liked this one. This is one of the ones he made for “Stax.” This called “Stop Kicking My Dog around.”

Bob Dylan: Next up is a song has written by our old buddyLawrence Ferlinghetti – “Dog.” The music was written by the singer. His name was Bob Dorough. He’s a bebop jazz piano player and vocalist. Here’s Bob Singing a song, all about life of a dogs’ eye view, when Fish is on newsprint and Chickens in Chinatown windows, cats and cigarspoolrooms and policemen, dead cows hung up wholein front of the San Francisco Meat Market.

[Bob Dorough (words by Lawrence Ferlinghetti) – “Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was “Dog.” Words by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, music by Bob Dorough.

Bob Dylan: Alright then. Let’s take a look at a email bucket. “Dear Theme Time Radio Hour! Well, I’ve taken up sewing, (for) I just can’t seem to mend my broken heart. I’ve been cheated on in the wished way. Besides vodka, any suggestions?” Signed, “sincerely, “Heartbroken,” in Cloverdale, British Columbia, Canada. “P.S. I really enjoy your weekly radio show, I hope you keep it up. It’s one of those things I look forward to every week.” Well, “Heartbroken,” I’m glad we can cheer you up, don’t draw yourself in vodka. You need to get back in the swing of things. An easy way to meet people is to go the dog park. Everyone’s friendlier when they have a dog with them. And even if you don’t meet someone, you’ve got man’s best friend, who will love you no matter what. But be careful, “Heartbroken,” because if you have a dog, and the relationship falls apart afterwards, you might find yourself arguing over who gets to keep the dog. Like Jean Shephard and Ray Pillow do in this song, “I’ll Take The Dog.”

[Jean Shepard and Ray Pillow – “I'll Take the Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was Jean Shepard singing along with Ray Pillow, top-10 hit from 19 and 66, “I'll Take the Dog.” Jean Shepard’s husband Hawkshaw Hawkins – who we’ll be hearing from later on today – died in the same plaincrash that killed Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. Jean Shepard, “I'll Take the Dog,” here on Theme Time Radio Hour.

[The Awful Truth excerpt: “One Moment, your Honor, there's a matter still unsettled. Mr. Smith is their dog.” “No, Mr. Smith is my dog.”“ls that so?”“But, you see, Mr. Smith belongs to me, and she has him.”“Mr. Warriner wishes to have him because...”“Because he's mine!”“He is not.”“Oh he is, too.”“He is not.”“Silence!”“ls not.”]

Bob Dylan: Someone else who kept the dog was Richard Nixon. The dog’s name was Checkers and he was given to the Nixon family by a Texas traveling salesman named Lou Carroll. Nixon was the Republican candidate for Vice President in 19 and 52, and he’d been accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions. He gave a live address to the nation, where he revealed the results of an audit exonerating him. The one contribution he admitted to receiving was Checkers. Listen to this. You won’t believe it.

[Richard Nixon: “One other thing I probably should tell you. We did get something, a gift. You know what it was? It was a little cocker spaniel dog, black and white, spotted. And our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it "Checkers." And you know, the kids, love the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it.”]

Bob Dylan: How about that? Richard Nixon, one of the most misunderstood people of the twentieth century, often maligned, but obviously capable of great humanity. He loved that dog, and he loved that his daughter loved that dog, too.

Bob Dylan: Next up, we’ve got Clyde Julian Foley, better known as Red, singing a first song he ever recorded, the heavy-hearted melancholy song called “Old Shep.” About a dog he owned as a child who saved him from drowning. In actuality the god was really a German Sheppard named Hoover, but he changed the name to “Old Shep,” and wrote a song that has become a country classic. An interesting story: Red was in his last days as a performer, playing a show in Cincinnati on the bill with The Louvin Brothers. Ira Louvin took events to something he said, or thought he said, whatever it was he slapped him, and knocked him down. That was a signal that Ira had gone out past where the buses run. Here’s “Old Shep,” by the man who wrote it. Red Foley.

[“Red Foley – “Old Shep”]

Bob Dylan: That was a sad mournful tale the “Old Shep,” by Red Foley. Another sad story about a dog was “Old Yeller.”

[“Old Yeller” excerpt:“No, Mama”“There's no hope for him now, Travis. He's sufferin'. You know we've got to do it.”“I know, Mama. But he was my dog. I'll do it. ”]

Bob Dylan: I don’t trust a man who didn’t tear up a little watching “Old Yeller.”

[barking, tweeting]

Bob Dylan: Bird sing, frogs croak, and dogs bark. Barking is perfectly natural canine behavior. If you have dog, you better get used to it.

[Howard Tate – “How Come My Bulldog Don't Bark?” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Howard Tate from Macon, Georgia. A stupendously expressive singer who made some great sides in the mid-60’s on the “Verve” record label, perhaps his best known song was “Get It While You Can” which Janis Joplin later recorded. They say there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat, this song has three of them.

[Howard Tate – “How Come My Bulldog Don't Bark?”]

Bob Dylan: That was Howard Tate with “How Come My Bulldog Don't Bark?” Howard disappeared in late 70’s, ended up having a drug problem and living in a homeless shelter. But the story has a happy ending, in the mid-90’s Howard Tate began counseling drug abusers and the mentally ill, and worked as a preacher. In 2000 and 3 he issued his first new record in over 10 years. Welcome Back, Howard! Hope you enjoyed being played, on Theme Time Radio Hour.

[page turns]

Bob Dylan: You know, a Bird Dog is a gun dog who used to hunt or retrieve birds. And if you’re going hunt, you wanna get dog next to you. In the Southern United States, the term Bird Dog referrers specifically to the English Pointer. Don and Phil Everly know another kind of Bird Dog, of a two-legged variety.

[Everly Brothers – “Bird Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was the Everly Brothers and “Bird Dog.” The producer of that record Chet Atkins originally wanted the spoken lines like ‘he’s a bird, he’s a dog, he’a a Bird Dog’ to be delivered by the commercial spokespuppet Farfel. For those of you who don’t know who Farfel is, he was a floppy-eared, hound dog puppet who sold Nestlé Quik on TV commercials, from 19 and 53 to 1965.

Bob Dylan: Imagine what that song would’ve sounded like with Farfel doing it.

Bob Dylan: Two dogs are talkin’. One says to the other: “You’re crazy. You ought to go see a psychiatrist.” The other dog said, “I’d love to, but I’m not allowed on the couch.”

[Allen Brothers – “A New Salty Dog” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Austin Allen and his brother Lee were among the first of the brothers[teams] that became popular in the 20’s and 30’s, that featured a lot of bawdy -good-time music, droll humor, and, of course, Lee Allen delightful kazoo leads. Here they are with a tale of a Salty Dog. Standing on a corner with a low down blues, Great big hole in the bottom of their shoes, Baby, let me be your salty dog.

[Allen Brothers – “A New Salty Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was the Allen Brothers here on Theme Time Radio Hour, where we’re barking up the musical tree, and looking at a dogs’ life. The term “Salty Dog” comes from the phrase “Sea Dog” which means “the horny sailor.” Salty Dog can also mean an ornery fellow as in the T-Bone Walker song "Papa Ain't Salty No More." And that ain’t the tail wagging the dog.

Bob Dylan: I was talking to Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman they’re very happy together as boyfriend and girlfriend, but they have very different opinions about the position of dogs in their house, one dog in particular. Let’s listen in.

[Jimmy Kimmel: I don’t dislike Sara’s dog, it’s just to me, when I weigh everything out, we have become a slaves to this dog. They’re talking about who the master is; we are not the masters, for times a day we have to take a walk that I wouldn’t wanna take normally. I mean, I don’t like to walk around.Sarah Silverman: But— It all ends up really nice though, we take a walk together.Jimmy Kimmel: Yeah, but I don’t like to be forced to walk at a specific time.Sarah Silverman: You’re not, you never have to go.Jimmy Kimmel: The fact is when you have a dog it doesn’t matter if it’s raining, or it’s snowing whatever you have to take that dog out. And I don’t see what’s worth it – just so we go out and (left himself).Sarah Silverman: Baby, you got two kids!Jimmy Kimmel: It not comparable.]

Bob Dylan: Should probably let sleeping dogs lie.

Bob Dylan: Now here’s a real oddity, you’ve all heard Elvis Presley singing the song “Hound Dog,” and a lot of you, probably, even heard the original version by "Big Mama" Thornton, but how many of you have heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys? They had a hit record in England in 19 and 56 with "Giddy Up A Ding Dong," and in that same year Elvis Presley saw them performing in a Las Vegas lounge. They did this version of “Hound Dog” and they made Elvis Presley decide to do it himself. Here’s Freddie Bell and the Bellboys “Hound Dog.”

[Freddie Bell and the Bellboys – “Hound Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was Freddie Bell and the Bellboys with their version of “Hound Dog.” Freddie and the fellows can be seen in the 19 and 56 motion picture “Rock Around the Clock.” Look for ‘em.

Bob Dylan: It was psychedelic visionary Aldous Huxley who once said: “Every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs." Andy Rooney once said: “If dogs could talk it would take a lot of the fun out of owning one.” And Will Rogers the lariat-toting philosopher once said: “If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around.” If you do that you might find yourself in a Dog House – Hawkshaw Hawkins did and he sings about it right here. Here’s the man with 11 and a half yards of personality. Hawkshaw Hawkins and the “Dog House Boogie.”

[Hawkshaw Hawkins – “Dog House Boogie”]

Bob Dylan: That was Hawkshaw Hawkins in the Dog House. The expression “in the dog house” means “to be in trouble.” Usually a husband who is figuratively sent to the doghouse in the same way that a dog is removed from the human habitation. The English poet William Blake had a dog. I ran into him over at the Surf Shop, and he had this to say:A dog starved at his master’s gatePredicts the ruin of the state.

[“We can save your canine from the veil(?)of mental darkness. We can make your family dog a happy family dog.”]

Bob Dylan: Next up, “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Perhaps you’d like to be my Black Nose Bouvier, or my Border Collie, my English Sheepdog or Shetland Sheepdog; maybe you’d like to be my French Bulldog or my Miniature Poodle or Blue ... Standard Poodle – take a pick. How ‘bout the Emperor Shar Pei? You can be my Italian Greyhound or my Applehead Chihuahua, my Springer Spaniel or my King Charles Spaniel? Oh, maybe you’d like to be my ... Rottweiler? ...one of those Willow Tree Mastiffs? Whatever. Uncle Tupelo agrees with me – they wanna be your dog too. Give a listen.

[Uncle Tupelo – “I Wanna Be Your Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was Uncle Tupelo featuring Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, they were doing a song there originally recorded by Iggy and the Stooges, and written by Mr. Iggy Pop along with couple other guys in the band. Elvis Presley was known as the ‘Tupelo Flash,’ which also whould be a good name for a dog: Come here, Flash! Heel! Roll over! Play dead! Beg! Down, boy! Get off my leg!

[“Now after practicing “Heel” for about 5 to 6 minutes, let’s stop for a rest and a change of pace.”]

Bob Dylan: Here’s the Mighty Sparrow with a sad tale of canine–male [treasons]. A song about Laika, the Russian dog that was set up in outer space onboard Spuntnik 2. Laika was a stray dog wondering the streets of Moscow she was set up and died a few hours after launch from stress and overheating. I’d be pretty stressed if I was sent to up in the space too. Officials stated that she was killed by a poisoned food, later they said that her oxygen ran out. Even though Laika did not survive the trip, the experiment proved that a living passenger can survive being launched into orbit. But at what price? The Mighty Sparrow’s gonna sing all about it.

[Mighty Sparrow – “Russian Satellite”]

Bob Dylan: That was the Mighty Sparrow with his Calypso [diddy] about the poor little puppy and Russian satellite. However, some dogs have great lives, and people who love ‘em. For example, here’s an inscription on the monument of a Newfoundland dog by Lord Byron:Near this spotAre deposited the Remainsof oneWho possessed BeautyWithout Vanity,Strength without Insolence,Courage without Ferocity,And all the Virtues of ManWithout his Vices.This Praise, which would be unmeaning flatteryIf inscribed over Human Ashes,Is but a just tribute to the Memory of“Boatswain,” a Dog.Sleep well, “Boatswain.”

Bob Dylan: Well, it’s almost time to go, and we have one more [...]to run before we take off. And Webb Pierce is gonna help us out. Webb Pierce is another Louisiana native, in 1949 he get a job at the “Louisiana Hayride” and put together a heck of a band, including, local Shreveport musicians Floyd Cramer, Faron Young, Tillman Franks, and the Wilburn Brothers. A lot of them wrote songs, so we have had plenty to choose from. Here’s one he chose a little later (hold) “I’m Walking The Dog.”

[Webb Pierce – “I'm Walking the Dog”]

Bob Dylan: That was Webb Pierce and he’s walking the dog.

[unknown song starts playing in the backgroung]

Bob Dylan: You know, I should probably be doing the same thing, ‘cause I don’t want to have put newspapers down all over the floor, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna head out of here, and see a man about a dog. I’ll see you next week here on Theme Time Radio Hour. See you around the hydrant.

[“Top Cat (underscore)”]

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Special thanks to Carl’s Barbershop. Travel courtesy of Sabudio International Airport. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. Studio engineer, Tax Carbone. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “Friends and Neighbors.”

“Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Pooch wherever you are, we’re coming to get you, especially you schnauzers. A schnauzer about a foot and a half long and five inches high has committed the dastardly crime of stealing the Sunday Times from the mouth of a Fox Terrier on Main Street last night. If you see this hound hood, phone Baskerville 7-6-5-3-rooof! at once.”

No idea what it's from, although I'd guess it's a clip from some old Warner Bros. cartoon. Fwiw, the style is a parody of Walter Winchell's radio show opening, "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea."

The "unknown song," is the theme music, as all good American boys of a certain age could tell you, from the TV series, "Lassie," which can still make me tear up.

Your guess is as good as anyone's about the proper spelling of "Sabudio."

The Kimmel/Silverman spot:

Quote:

JK: I don't dislike Sarah's dog. It's just, to me, when I weigh everything out, we have become a slave to this dog. They talk about who the master is. We're not the masters. Four times a day we have to take a walk that I wouldn't want to take normally. I mean, I don't like to walk around.

SS: But, it all ends up really nice, though. We take a walk together.

JK: Yeah, but I don't like to be ah, forced to walk at a specific ti-...

SS: You're not. You never have to go.

JK: The fact is when you have a dog it doesn't matter if it's raining or its snowing, whatever. You have to take that dog out. And I don't see what's worth it... just so we can watch him lick...

It's funny - "Lassie" was one of the first American TV-shows which aired on Ukrainian TV. (I guess I was 5-6 yrs old then) But I'm sure they weren't showing it from the 1st season, I guess only ones in color. Anyways, somehow I didn't watch it. I guess I choose to watch "Highlander."

One more peculiar thing: "The English poet William Blake had a dog. I ran into him over at the Surf Shop, and he had this to say..." - Obviously here's some sort of humor I'm not getting. Maybe Surf Shop is a slang tern or wordplay.. or bookstore?)..

Here I need to know only names of unnamed background songs. In the very beginning, before Carole King's song, while talking about garage bands. Especially I need to know that one before Carole King's song.

17 Friends and Neighbors

[unknown song is playing in the background]

“The Lady in Red” (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. A light drizzle starts to fall. An anxious lover waits by the phone.

Bob Dylan: Howdy neighbors and hello friends! I’m so glad to see you; it’s time once again for Theme Time Radio Hour. And tonight we’re gonna expand our calling(?) circle, and talk about those folks that we were made connected to. Neighbors are defined by distance, but no distance can keep friends apart. We’ll be learning all about that today, as we talk about friends and neighbors. Here on Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: They say that good fences make good neighbors, and good friends make good music. Here’s the spangled ex-butcher with the mile-high pompadour, it’s Porter Wagoner and his good friends The Wagonmasters, with “Howdy Neighbor, Howdy”

[Porter Wagoner and the Wagonmasters – “Howdy Neighbor” starts to play in the background]

Bob Dylan: They’re about to drive the wagon in the yard and turn the donkey loose, they even want to kick that hound out of the way and watch them fightin' goose. Porter Wagoner.

[Porter Wagoner and the Wagonmasters – “Howdy Neighbor”]

Bob Dylan: That was Porter Wagoner and the Wagonmasters, “Howdy Neighbor, Howdy,” Welcoming you in for another episode of Theme Time Radio Hour, and I want you all to be my friends. As Frederick Nietzsche once said: “Go up close to your friend, but do not go over to him. We should respect the enemy that is in our friend.” Oscar Wilde once said: “A true friend will stab you in the front.” Well said, Oscar.

Bob Dylan: Here’s an artist we’re played on our very first show, but I didn’t have a chance to talk about her, and I wanna correct that mistake right now. Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a powerful force of nature, a guitar playing, singing evangelist. You know, she traveled to England with Muddy Waters and whole bunch of other blues performers, in the late 50’s and early 60’s, and I’m sure there a lot of young English guys who picked up an electric guitar after getting a look at her. If you want to get a look at her, go on to YouTube and type in: “Sister Rosetta Tharpe,” it’ll blow your mind. Here she is with some good advice, “Don't Take Everybody to Be Your Friend.” Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

[Sister Rosetta Tharpe – “Don't Take Everybody to Be Your Friend”]

Bob Dylan: That was Sister Rosetta Tharpe, anything but ordinary and plain. She was a big, good looking woman, and divine. Not to mention sublime and splendid, always dressed like she was on her way to church, with that electric guitar strung across her shoulder. Matter of fact I saw her a few times myself, at the National Guard Armory. You know, she got married at 19 and 51 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. in front of 25 thousand paying customers. This is what it sounded like:

[“Ladies and gentlemen the big moment as you can well see is just about arrived, I’d like to take this opportunity to... welcome you to Griffith Stadium, where you’re about to be guests at the wedding of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, after which there will be a spiritual concert followed by fireworks.”]

Bob Dylan: I didn’t know you could charge admission to your wedding. I wish I’d known that.

Bob Dylan: You know you have no shortage of friends if you stay right here, on Theme Time Radio Hour, where the subject toujour is Friends and Neighbors.

Bob Dylan: Here’s a guy who long and tall and on the ball, T-Bone Burnett. Everybody thinks he’s a Texan, but he was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved out to Fort Worth, and opened up his own recording studio, and made records and played on records.

[T-Bone Burnett – “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Here he is with his version of the Jule Styne and Leo Robin classic “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.”

[T-Bone Burnett – “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend”]

Bob Dylan: That was T-Bone Burnett, the guy who’sno(known?) material girl, doing his version of “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.” And they are. This song is from 19 and 49 Broadway show “Gentlemen Prefer Blonds,” and it was originally sung by Carol Channing. Later on in 19 and 53 Howard Hawks directed the movie version, and picked the blond that gentlemen prefer, the luscious curvaceous Miss Marilyn Monroe to play the Fortune Hunter Lorelei Lee.

[Marilyn Monroe - "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend” excerpt]

Bob Dylan: Right about now it’s time for wit bit of email. I like email, but I miss the postman, I used to like it when he would come by and tell me what my neighbors were doing. Oh well, times change. Today’s email is from Vernon Talbot from Tampa, Florida, he writes: “Dear Theme Time Radio Hour! Love the show. But I can’t help but notice that most of the artists you play are somewhat obscure. What’s up with that?” Well, Vernon, it’s a fair question. First of all, why should we play things you can hear anywhere else? On the other hand, the artists we play are interesting and deserve their moment in the sun. Besides, I would bet they are not obscure to their friends and neighbors. While we’re on the subject of obscurity, here’s a quote that can make it clear: “Brevis esse luboro (sic! - laboro), obscurus fio,” which means in plain English: “I strive to be brief, and I become obscure.” So, Vernon, I hope that answers your question. Here’s a Cajun song by Doc Guidry, hope this is obscure enough for you, it’s called “The Friendship Waltz.” You might know it as “La Valse D'Amie” (sic! - La valse d'amitié). Doc’s gonna sing it in his native language, but here’s what he’s saying.

[Doc Guidry – “La valse d'amitié” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: After everything is done and said, I’ll be here all alone, but life is in the past, I will not regret it. When our friendship was so strong, so gentle and all in white [inhales] all of them, and my big sorrow will be not to see you again. (http://cajunlyrics.com/index.php?lyrics=494)

[Doc Guidry – “La valse d'amitié”]

Bob Dylan: It was Doc Guidry, “The Friendship Waltz." Doc joined the Happy Fats’ band who were also known the Rayne-Bo Ramblers, who started recording in Dallas, Texas in 19 and 34. Here’s another Texan, I guess, Texas is a friendly place. This is Moon Mullican, whose real name was Aubrey, who got the nickname Moon when he was 16 years old, and it did him good ever since. Moon's combination of pumping piano and country vocals were a huge influence on Jerry Lee Lewis. He was one of the grandfather’s of rock’n’roll, and a friendly fellow to boot. As you give a listen to this, “Make Friends” with Moon Mullican.

[Moon Mullican – “Make Friends”]

Bob Dylan: That was Moon Mullican with a philosophy of making friends. As one of the wisest men I’ve ever known - Muhammad Ali – once said: “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school, but if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship you really haven't learned anything at all.” Moon Mullican, Muhammad Ali, two ways of saying the same thing.

Bob Dylan: Let’s move from friends to neighbors for a moment. Thomas Jefferson had something to say about neighbors, he said: “It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg,” Thomas Jefferson, reminding us about the separation of church and state.

Bob Dylan: Coming up next on Theme Time Radio Hour, a harmonica player by the name of Jerry McCain. He once heard Little Walter play, and it changed his life forever. Music used to do that. That same year under the name "Boogie McCain" he made his first record for “Trumpet” in Jackson, Mississippi. But his best known records were on the “Excello” record label, and that’s why we’ve got this one – “My Next Door Neighbor” by Jerry McCain.

[Jerry McCain – “My Next Door Neighbor”]

Bob Dylan: That was Jerry McCain talking about his next door neighbor, who wants to borrow the broom and the mop, and the clock, and a piece of meat and loaf(?), and sugar, even borrow the television and came back to get the antenna. We all know neighbors like that. You know, my next door neighbor Harold he comes to me and he says: “Hey Bob! Are you gonna need your golf clubs on Sunday?” I told him: “Hey Harold, I’m playing golf that day.” And he said: “Good. Then you won’t need your lawnmower.” He’s a smart guy [some random sound in the background], one of kind of neighbors that Jerry McCain is talking about. On the other hand, a lot of people love their neighbors, sometimes a little too much, like in this next song. You know, we’ve talked a lot about George Jones, but on this song he’s got a lovely partner, her name is Melba Montgomery. She got her start at the age of ten, when she and her brother won an amateur talent contest. She had a handful of hits with George Jones before Tammy Wynette, and this one is one of the wildest. I played this record for some of the guys here in the Abernathy Building, and they couldn’t believe their ears.

Bob Dylan: That was George Jones with Melba Montgomery. The song from the swinging 60’s. I don’t mean the swinging 60’s like Carnaby Street; I mean the swinging 60’s like, we have a party, and the men put all their car keys in a hat, the wives pick out a car key, they put on a Trini Lopez record, and everybody just swings. Now, I’ve never been to a party like that myself, but I hear those kind of things happen.

Bob Dylan: Now, I love country music, but I say – what happened to it? You hear a song like this and it’s obvious, it’s about real people, and real emotions, and real problems. That’s all, that’s the country music we learned to love. Nowadays they want to sweep all the problems under the rug, and pretend they don’t exist. Well, guess what, folks? They do exist! And if you try and sweep them under the rug, they’re just gonna pop up somewhere else. So we might as well just face it and listen to the old style country music. The real country music. You know: about drinking, and sleeping around. That’s my kind of country music! And I hope yours. But I digress. On a more serious note, Aristotle once said, “In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.” On the other hand, some people say their friends are God’s way of apologizing to us for our families. There’s lots of opinions about friends. The great Howlin’ Wolf has another one.

[Howlin' Wolf – “My Friends” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: This next song is entirely without flaw and meets all the supreme standards of excellence.

[Howlin' Wolf – “My Friends”]

Bob Dylan: That was the great Howlin’ Wolf talking about his kind of friends, talking about friends like we all must have. They don’t wanna see him with a thing. Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters were the biggest blues stars in Chicago in late 50’s, but according to many people they were never friends. They were very competitive, both wanted Willie Dixon’s newest hits, and supposedly the two of them never shook hands. People say that Muddy was graceful and generous, feeling good when many of his musicians went on to form their own bands. Wolf was jealous, a tight-fisted boss, who would fire them and never speak to them once they left his band. Muddy Waters love Fats Waller, Howlin’ Wolf called jazz "blee-blop" and he fined his guitarist for playing it. Big and bold, Howlin’ Wolf, not a man to cross.

Bob Dylan: You know, the blues records sound so good, let’s listen to another one. Here’s that man that changed Jerry McCain’s life. You remember Jerry McCain – he had problems with his next door neighbors; it’s also a good example of what we were talking about with Muddy Waters letting his sidemen go off and record records on their own. In 19 and 52 Little Walter went into Chess brothers recording studios – they probably gave him studio time because he painted their houses, or something. Anyway, he recorded a song [another random sound in the background], it was an instrumental that the Muddy Waters band used as their backtune, and came out under the name “Juke” by Little Walter, it was a top-10 rhythm-and-blues smash. Walter was a hard-living, hard-drinking, hard-fighting guy and died at an early age, the result of one too many bar fights.

[Little Walter – “Last Night” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: The song we’re gonna play tonight is bone-chillingly sad, and supposedly based on a true story about Walter losing one of his closest friends. “Last Night” by Little Walter.

[Little Walter – “Last Night”]

Bob Dylan: Little Walter, he died at an early age, 38 years old, but if you see pictures, he looks closed to 60. A hard-living man, but a great artist.

[unknown music starts playing in the background]

Bob Dylan: If you need a friend, here are some things that make a good friend: Good friends listen to each other, good friends help each other solve problems, good friends are dependable, this one is very important – good friends never borrow money, good friends never change the channel on your radio, good friends always tell you when you have food in your teeth, good friends sometimes pay for dinner, and good friends sometimes let you have a last beer, – and if you’ll do one of those things, [unknown music in the background stops] maybe you’ll have a friend, like Carole King sings about. Carole began playing piano at the age of four, I’ve hear her play, and I believe she’s been playing that long, she’s quite good. In 19 and 59 Neil Sedaka wrote a song called “Oh Carole” (“Oh! Carol”?) in her honor. She teamed up with Gerry Goffin, and Carole and Jerry scored their first hit with The Shirelles, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." And it just kept going from there, you know all of her songs – "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," “Chains,” "I Feel the Earth Move," “Loco-Motion," “One Fine Day,” “Take a Giant Step,” – I could be here all day just saying songs Carole King wrote. I'd rather listen to her sing one.

Bob Dylan: “You've Got a Friend.” From her 19 and 71 album “Tapestry,” which stayed on the charts for over six years, and was the best selling album of the era. Carole King singing about when you're down in trouble, and needing a helping hand, close your eyes and think of her – you’ve got a friend, just call her name: “Oh, Carole!”

Bob Dylan: You’re listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, and we’re talking about friends and neighbors. Next up we’ve got a band called Ronnie and the Delinquents, on the “Jaycee” record label, out of New Orleans, everybody down there would remember them – still herd on the jukeboxes of some sections of town. Ronnie and the Delinquents featured a couple of guys you might be familiar with, one of them I know you’re familiar with, his mane is Dr. John, but this is from way before he was Dr. John, he was "Mac" Rebennack, and he was a guitar player until a gun accident damaged his hand. He was no stranger to the kind of neighborhood he sings about in this song, “Bad Neighborhood.” His partner in crime in this song, Ronnie of Ronnie and the Delinquents was the guy named Ronnie Barron who knew “Mac” Rebennack since they were both 15. Ron created a character called Reverent Ether, who go on and on about voodoo and gumbo, and shake the tambourine, and say things like, “I'm gonna drop the truth on you now.” Time marches on, and their partnership became history, they both went their separate ways: “Mac” Rebennack became Dr. John, and Ronnie Barron played with The Prime Ministers in Los Angeles. And as Paul Harvey would say: “Now you know the rest of the story.” And here’s where the story began, in a bad neighborhood. I’m gonna drop the truth on you now. Ronnie and the Delinquents. Pete Townsend should’ve heard this before he wrote "Pinball Wizard."

[Ronnie and the Delinquents – “Bad Neighborhood”]

Bob Dylan: Another true zombie tale from the swamps of New Orleans. That was Ronnie and the Delinquents, “Bad Neighborhood.”

Bob Dylan: Here’s my old pals The Rolling Stones. And I guess you heard about Keith, and everybody’s glad he’s feeling better now. Here he is with Charlie, Mick, Woody, and the bass player, with the song from their album “Tattoo You.” Here’s Mick warning his neighbors: “Don't you mess with my baby, when I'm out working all night.” I’m glad my neighbor doesn’t shout like this.

[The Rolling Stones – “Neighbors”]

Bob Dylan: That was The Rolling Stones with “Neighbors.” Invite your friends over, get your neighbor to come by and give listen, ‘cause this is Theme Time Radio Hour, and this week is all about them. Themes, dreams and neighborly schemes.

Bob Dylan: One of the greatest songwriters who ever lived was Hank Williams, of course. Hank could be headstrong and willful, a backslider and a reprobate, no stranger to bad deeds. However, underneath all of that, he was compassionate and moralistic. He recorded a series of records under the name “Luke the Drifter,” these were moralistic and religious theme recordings. And each one of them is a beautiful jam. Here’s one as relevant today, as it was the day he recorded it.

[Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter – “Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Are you someone who goes to too many parties and has too many pals? Maybe you’d better listen.

[Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter – “Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals”]

Bob Dylan: “Too Many Parties, Too Many Pals,” Luke the Drifter.

Bob Dylan: “He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, while he who has one enemy shall meet him everywhere,” – words to live by, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Bob Dylan: So we have more emails than we know what to do with. So this week we’re gonna double dip. This one comes from Guy Hornsby. He writes: “Bob, I'm afraid your crack research team has let you down. On your show devoted to the songs of summer, you told listeners that Billy Stewart died June 17, 19 and 70. I know he died in January of that year, because my high school senior class in Brookland-Cayce, South Carolina had booked him to perform at our prom. Remember when high school proms had live music instead of DJ’s?” Matter of fact, I do. That was better! Guy continues to write: “We had to scramble to come up with a local band. We were fortunate enough to get The Swinging Medallions. Their big hit was “Double-Shot of My Baby's Love.” To make a long story short...” Too late Guy, “I would like to suggest that Theme Time Radio Hour devoted to garage bands.” Garage bands?

[Some dead familiar tune starts to play]

Bob Dylan: Well, first off, Guy, thank you for your note. I'd like to point out, there is already a program that focuses on garage music. I think that guy from The Sopranos does it. Not the Big Soprano, but one of the little Sopranos. But you know what, I enjoyed your letter so much, I think I got something for ya. By the way, Guy, what is a garage band? I've recorded songs in my garage. Am I a garage band?

[Some dead familiar tune stops playing]

Bob Dylan: Anyway, Eric Burdon was in a band called The Animals, which a lot of people think is one of the first garage type bands. After he left The Animals Eric Burdon ended up in a night-club where he saw an R&B band called Nightshift, backing up Defencive end for the LA Rams, Deacon Jones, who was trying to launch a singing career [laughter]. No-one’s remember Deacon Jones singing, but we all remember a band that backed him up. Eric Burdon changed their name to War, and hired harmonica player Lee Oskar. They worked at a hit with him “Spill the Wine.” And once he got out of there, War have had hits like “Slippin' into Darkness,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” and my personal favorite, “The Cisco Kid.” They also did this one.

[War – “Why Can't We Be Friends?” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” We don't need any border patrols, or people trying to pigeon hole music. We just need more records like this. Here’s War.

[War – “Why Can't We Be Friends?”]

Bob Dylan: That was War, “Why Can't We Be Friends?” They gave question, but the answer – look inside yourself. I know I love my neighbor, but I’m not ready to pull down my hedges. Nicholas Berdyaev once said: “Bread for myself is a material question; bread for my neighbor is a spiritual one.” If you’re worried about your neighbor’s behavior, stop looking so closely at him, and look at what you’re doing. You’re probably making him just as uneasy, as he makes you, ‘cause if you’re without sin, you can cast the first stone, and I don’t know anybody who should be going around throwing stones. So that’s about it for another week here on Theme Time Radio Hour. But you’re welcomed to stick around, maybe we will make some sandwiches, have ourselves a drink. After all, you’re my friends, and you’re always welcome. See ya next week.

[“Top Cat (underscore)”]

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Special thanks to Carl’s Barbershop. Travel courtesy of Sabudio International Airport. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. Studio engineer, Tax Carbone. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “Radio.”

Another tough episode. A lot of specific lingo, a lot of scratchy sounds...So here's what I need help with the most:

1. Of course, I have no idea what song sounds in the end of the episode - after Elvis Costello.

2. Mad Daddy's bit is kind of wild - too fast - help me out here.

3. In the intro Dylan is saying: "Today we’re talking about radios; (table???) and transistors." Sound like some name for table radios, but I can't get the word.

4. After The Modern Lover's song, our host says: ": Alright. We’re speaking through an all-metal-type tube, a highly efficient resonating device. ??? an electrically amplified with an all-wave antenna..."

5. Syd Nathan talking about getting the song: "‘The only way you can get it is by recording,’and if you feel that’s the only way you can get it, if he sings with a harelip(???)[mimicking bad singing voice] as long as a material is good, we’ll take him or take the song, because, goddammit, we can cover him over."

6. After the song by Lord Melody - quotes from the song. - "That was Lord Melody talking about Mr. Bob Gideons and the man who’s the king and(in) the king (maybe?)."

7. Peter Wolf's bit: Basically, only one word, in sentence: "It was like walking into this mesonian??? just listening, and it went on 24/7."

These are the most important ones.

18 Radio

[“Mr. announcer who are you?”]

Bob Dylan: Howdy everybody! This is Bob Dylan.

[“Tell me the station I'm listening to”]

Bob Dylan: The XM network, satellite radio.

[“How about telling a time to meet”]

Bob Dylan: It's time for Theme Time Radio Hour.

[“And what's the weather gonna be?”]

Bob Dylan: It's cold and fatty and it's raining, it's going down to 30 degrees tonight. I don't know what it's like where you are but that's what it's like here.

“The Lady in Red” (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. A woman in a red gown throws out her cell phone. A man sleeps with a gun under his pillow.

[“...signal from the transmitting tower in to the tubes and coils behind your radio dial. It’s like a welcome knock on the door, and the sound of the familiar voice of an old friend.”]

Bob Dylan: Welcome to Theme Time Radio Hour! Dreams, schemes and themes. Coming to you live on a carbon microphone. Today we’re talking about radios; table... and transistors. Radio is a remotely piloted vehicle that allows you to send sounds through the air by electrical waves. It’s also a name of the equipment that is used to send and receive these broadcasts. Radio is the shorten name for “radiotelegraphy.” I guess the first order of business is to make sure that your radio is on.

[Grandpa Jones – “Turn Your Radio On” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Here’s a man named Grandpa Jones. Grandpa is a singer and a banjo player who did such great recordings as “Old Rattler,” Mountain Dew," and this one – “Turn Your Radio On.”

[Grandpa Jones – “Turn Your Radio On”]

Bob Dylan: That was Grandpa Jones, “Turn your radio on, get in touch with God, listen to the Master’s radio, when you listen to the radio station where the mighty host and sing the songs of Zion.” Grandpa Jones. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 19 and 46.

Bob Dylan: You little box, held to me escaping So that your valves should not break Carried from house to house to ship from sail to train, So that my enemies might go on talking to me, Near my bed, to my pain The last thing at night, the first thing in the morning, Of their victories and of my cares, Promise me not to go silent all of a sudden.Real poem. German playwright Bertolt Brecht. If I ought to pick an American Bertold Brecht, I’d probably say, it was Jonathan Richman, there’s a lot of similarities. Well, you can judge for yourself while listening to “Roadrunner.” Cut it off, Jonathan.

[The Modern Lovers – “Roadrunner”]

Bob Dylan: That was Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, on Theme Time Radio Hour. “Roadrunner, roadrunner, Gonna drive past the Stop 'n' Shop, With the radio on. I'm in love with Massachusetts.” Me too.

Bob Dylan: Alright. We’re speaking through an all-metal-type tube, a highly efficient resonating device. ... an electrically amplified with an all-wave antenna. What would the radio be without a disc jockey?

[Jingle:“He brings you the best,(it?) records a day, he always suggest you make a request for tunes he should play.”“If music what matters he’s the finest.”“Anywhere. Your musical expertIs on the air.”]

Bob Dylan: This is the song about the coolest disc jockey around. Plays them sweet and he plays them hot. Boyd Bennett and His Rockets.

[Boyd Bennett and His Rockets – “Cool Disc Jockey”]

Bob Dylan: That was ‘The Coolest Disc Jockey Around’ by Boyd Bennett and His Rockets, on Theme Time Radio Hour. That song was recorded for the “King“ label at Cincinnati, Ohio. “King” got it start as a hillbilly label and they had a slogan “If it’s a King – it’s a hillbilly. And if it’s hillbilly – it’s a King.” The owner of “King” records, Syd Nathan, was a very hands-on operator, listen to this, as he talks to his staff about how to make(?) records.

[Syd Nathan: Give me the song. It the man wrote the song, and it’s great song, and he says: ‘The only way you can get it is by recording,’and if you feel that’s the only way you can get it, if he sings with a harelip(???) [mimicking bad singing voice] as long as a material is good, we’ll take him or take the song, because, goddammit, we can cover him over. Give me the song.”]

Bob Dylan: Our next song is all about radio stations that cropped up just across the Mexican border. These stations did not have to obey the same laws as their American counterparts. They were able to broadcast deep into the United States. These stations were very influential, playing a lot of regional bands of all types of music. In this song The Blasters pay tribute to these early hothouses of modern music. “Border Radio,” this is The Blasters.

[The Blasters – “Border Radio”]

Bob Dylan: That was “Border Radio” by The Blasters. A lot of the border radio stations were sponsored by quack doctors who were unable to advertise in the United States. For instance, Dr. John Brinkley made a great living selling goat gland treatments on Mexican radio. Later on, in the 50’s and 60’s, it was the first job for disc jockeys like Wolfman Jack.

[Wolfman Jack: Yes, we’re gonnasend you a 100 baby chicks right now for just 3,95, and if you order right now, your Wolfman gonna send you absolutely free of charge a life-size picture of me autographed that glows in the dark...”]

Bob Dylan: Here’s Richard Lanham with a song about his transistor radio. Historically the term “transistor radio” refers to a radio that is monaural, and receives only the 540–1600 kilocycle AM broadcast band. This is a song called “On Your Radio,” and we’re glad to be on your radio.

[Richard Lanham – “On Your Radio”]

Bob Dylan: That was Richard Lanham with kind of a Frankie Lyman influence, a song about the radio, from back in 19 and 57. Later on in the 60’s Richard was in the touring version of The Ink Spots – at least one of the versions of The Ink Spots. As it seem there was a different version in every part of the country.

[Jingle:“For music.”]

Bob Dylan: We don’t usually do the commercials here, on Theme Time Radio Hour, but sometimes we just have to make an exception. The king of calypso, from San-Fernando, Trinidad, Fitzroy Alexander – better known as Lord Melody, with a song about the little interruptions that keep the lights on, the Radio Commercials. He wants you to take the radio back, ‘cause no one sings anymore, singing about the radio with too much nonsense, that’s all about the valley of the Jolly Green Giants, go with Shell, buy Tide, got a cold? Use Coughinol. Lord Melody talking about the radio station where shoes live.

[Lord Melody – “Radio Commercials”]

Bob Dylan: That was Lord Melody talking about Mr. Bob Gideons and the man who’s the king and(in) the king (maybe?). T.S. Elliott once said: “Radio is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain lonesome.” Well you’re never lonesome as long as you listening to Theme Time Radio Hour. Some radio programs play just one type of thing. But here we're like New England weather – if you don't like what you're hearing stick around, it'll change in a minute. Here's a song that is anything but perfunctory, Joe Strummer and The Clash, a group that knew about the political power of the radio.

[The Clash – “Radio Clash” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: “This is radio clash from pirate satellite, orbiting your living room and cashing in the bill of rights.”

[The Clash – “Radio Clash”]

Bob Dylan: That was Joe Strummer and Mick Jones – The Clash. Using radio ammunition underneath the mushroom cloud, tearing up the seven veils, save us, not to the whales. That was “Radio Clash,” not to be confused with “Radio Free Europe.”

[Peter Wolf: Radio was power, radio was king, radio showed us the way, radio turned us on to the great arts, radio opened up the door, it was like walking into this mesonianjust listening, and it went on 24/7. I’d listen to Alan Freed and “The Big Beat,” Jacko’s Rocket Ship Show: ‘Ho-bap-bap-do, how do you do? Time right now it 11.15, you listening to Jacko’s Rocket Ship, hey-bap-pa-do, hey-bap-pa-day.’ And that would go on all night and then that would morph into the Magnificent Montague who would, you know, ‘Talk about lovers. Ladies, this is the Magnificent one, I want you to take the radio and put it right between your legs, and gonna play some Sam Cooke and he’s gonna penetrate you.’ And I’m Like 11 years old... – Wow! Mercy me! [laughs]]

Bob Dylan: Peter Wolf, another radio performer on Theme Time Radio Hour.

[Patrice Holloway – “Those DJ Shows” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: This is Patrice Holloway, here she sings about those DJ Shows.

[Patrice Holloway – “Those DJ Shows”]

Bob Dylan: That was Partrice Holloway (and one of) those DJ Shows. Her and her sister Brenda, both recorded for the “Motown” label. Patrice also had a few hits for “Capitol,” but she, perhaps, best known as a singing voice of Valerie in the cartoon series Josie and the Pussycats.

[excerpt from Josie and the Pussycats]

[sound effect in the background]

Bob Dylan: This is Theme Time Radio Hour, and we’re radioactive.

Bob Dylan: Van Morrison has always had a love affair with the radio. A lot of his songs mention in, and this one is one of the best – “Caravan.”

[Van Morrison – “Caravan”]

Bob Dylan: “Caravan is on its way, and I can hear them merry gypsies play, Mama mama look at Emma Rose, she's playing with the radio, she's playing with the radio, she's playing with the radio. Radio? [inhales] She's playing with the radio.” That was Van Morrison, continuing his life-long obsession with all things radio. And that includes the cathode-ray tuning indicator.

Bob Dylan: Charles Bukowski, the hard drinking poet laureate of the lower class of Los Angeles, spent many nights at home with his radio. Like all good poets, he wrote about what he knew, with a poem called “Radio with Guts.”it was on the 2nd floor on Coronado StreetI used to get drunkand throw the radio through the windowwhile it was playing, and, of course,it would break the glass in the windowand the radio would sit there on the roofstill playingand I'd tell my woman,"Oh, what a marvelous radio!"Charles Bukowski. What else? Def poet.

Bob Dylan: We’ve got an email today. This comes to us from Kelly Clarkson. She’s writing in from the road: “Dear Bob! Would you, please, play a song for me today?” Well, Kelly, thanks for listening, and good luck out there. Here’s one called “Disc Jockey Blues,” it’s by Luke Jones and His Orchestra.

[Luke Jones and His Orchestra – “Disc Jockey Blues”]

Bob Dylan: That was Luke Jones and His Orchestra. “Busy and dizzy, whirly and twirly in the midnight early. Sitting 14 hours in one chair with a Disc Jockey blues.” I know that feeling! [laughter] Sure it looks glamorous to be a Disc Jockey, but they get the blues too. Take for example a story (of) Pete Myers – he had a rap-ramming alter ego known as “Mad Daddy” who was one of the most amazing disc jockeys of the 50’s. He used unscripted jive patter and sound effects. He worked with eight turntables. Played some of the wildest rock ‘n’ roll of the late 50’s with a (band at base) and spooky sound effects. Monster-echo with plenty of brake-down voltage. Give a listen, to Mad Daddy [inhales] in his heyday.

[Mad Daddy: This is Mad Daddy from the Saturday (live) from the ... Power the very top story in my wavy-gravy-groovy-gravy-rocking laboratory. Where we’re bending every effort and making every test to be sure that our records are always the best. You see ... we play them on this crazy wavy air, we get them in this smoking ... with extra special care. Wearing thick .. rubber gloves, using special togs, we make them ... acid ... up and coming songs.]

Bob Dylan: By 1963 music had changed – just a ghost image of its former self Pete Myers could not keep up. He drifted from job to job but his heart was no longer in it. In 19 and 68 he went into the bathroom with a shotgun, and ended his life. “Mad Daddy” was gone forever.

[changing stations sound effect]

Bob Dylan: Disc jockeys aren’t the only ones who can have the blues, sometimes the people listening at home can be affected by the sad songs they play. Here’s Bonnie Owens with a song on just that subject. “Waiting for the man to announce that it’s country music time.” “My Hi-Fi to Cry By.”

[Bonnie Owens – “My Hi-Fi to Cry By”]

Bob Dylan: “My Hi-Fi to Cry By.” Bonnie Owens is well known for the work that she did with both of her former husbands – Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. She was the queen of Bakersfield.

[Jingle:“Just take a lively companion wherever you go – take a portable radio, take a portable radio”]

Bob Dylan: Don’t know what kind of radio you’re listening on, could be Fillmore or RCA, whether it’s on Olympic or Motorola,a Filcro or one of the lovely Bakerlight models, or Hallicrafter TR-88, hope it has a lovely decorative grille cloth so you can hear the sounds of Theme Time Radio Hour. We’re broadcasting from coast to coast.

[sound effect]

Bob Dylan: Not everyone love the radio, the musicians unit have a problem with it. They don’t like the radio or the jukeboxes, afraid that canned music would take jobs away from working musicians.

[Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks – “Canned Music” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Here’s Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, talking about music coming (over) the radio in a permanently magnetic dynamic way, “Canned Music.”

[Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks – “Canned Music”]

Bob Dylan: That was Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, with his easy and swinging “Canned Music.” Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg helping out with the vocals there. Dan started off as a drummer, he played in The Charlatans before he went off and started The Hot Licks, who were influenced by old cowboy songs, and the Hot Club (of Paris) recordings by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.

Bob Dylan: When Albert Einstein was asked how radio works he said: “You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing (in an alley) in Los Angeles. And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat." Here’s LC Smith and His Southern Playboys. LC recorded with a whole lot of different bands, including, The Wizards, Tennessee Shorty and Little Tommy, The Tyler Country Boys, The Southern Mountain Boys, Southern Playboys, and the Smith Brothers. I guess LC couldn’t hold a job, but in this song he’s got one on the radio, he just made a downpayment on a second hand car, he saving up his money for a fiddle and a bow too.

[LC Smith and His Southern Playboys – “Radio Boogie”]

Bob Dylan: LC Smith and the Southern Playboys, “Radio Boogie.” “Pulling the cork from the jug, plowing the corn, changing the waves back into the original sounds; with a solid kick and a red hot lick, Tennessee style.”

Bob Dylan: Of course, music wasn’t the only thing you could hear on the radio. As Steve Allen said: “Radio is the theatre of the mind; television is the theater of the mindless.” There was some great theater on the radio in the 30’s and 40’s dramas like “The Shadow,” “The Lives of Harry Lime,” “The Chase,” “Damon Runyon Theater,” “Boston Blackie,” “The Mercury Theater on the Air,” “Rocky Fortune,” “The Green Hornet,” “Dangerous Assignment,” and “Escape;” and comedies like “Jack Benny Program,” “The Fred Allen Show,” “Amos and Andy Show,” “Easy Aces,” and “Fibber McGee and Molly.” Who knows what evil lurks in a hearts of men? The Shadow knows, and so do I. Let’s listen to a little bit of “The Shadow.”

[“The Shadow” excerpt:“As you sow evil, so shall you reap evil. Crime does NOT pay! The Shadow knows. [laughs]”]

Bob Dylan: I was playing blackjack with Elvis Costello. Listen to waht we had to say.

[Elvis Costello: I Britain we didn’t have all-day-long pop radio. We had two things (were) developed: one was radio Luxemburg which was a station that was commercial, but it used to fade in and out, so you’d be in middle of your record, Martha and The Vandellas would be singing “Heat Wave” and it would suddenly the signal would go away, by the time it came back, there could be playing Engelbert Humbeding, or something. And then, of course, there was the pirate radio which were these ships that were moored just outside the kind of legal limit offshore, and they could broadcast, and those were the ones that became the model of modern British pop radio.”]

Bob Dylan: Here’s Elvis. Talking about a radio cleaning up the nation. Elvis got banned from “Saturday Night Live” for 12 years when he played this song – he didn’t think the song he was supposed to play would connect with the American audience. Instead he played “Radio, Radio” – the song he had just written, that he thought would have more meaning. He was biting the hand that fed him.

[Elvis Costello and The Attractions – “Radio, Radio”]

Bob Dylan: That was Elvis Costello and The Attractions, talking about the radio, like we have been for the past hour.

[unknown song start playing]

Bob Dylan: The thing about radio is, it’s like a cross-town buss – there’s always another program coming by. So we got to get out of the way, and let the next show come through. We’ll see you next week with all new theme, on Theme Time Radio Hour. Your home for dreams, schemes and themes. So long, everybody!

[“Top Cat (underscore)”]

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “The Bible.”

That was Lord Melody talking about Mr. Bob Gideons and the man who’s the king and the king maybe.

Peter Wolf: .. it was like walking into the Smithsonian...

And I’m Like 11 years old, I don't know the way he's -

That was Patrice Holloway, headin' over to those DJ shows.

Played some of the wildest rock ‘n’ roll of the late 50’s with a bayonet bass and spooky sound effects.

This is Mad Daddy on the Saturday flight from the tower of power, the very top story in my wavy-gravy-groovy-gravy-rocking laboratory. Where we’re bending every effort and making every test to be sure that our records are always the best. You see before we play 'em on this crazy wavy air, we get them in this smoking vat! with extra special care. Wearing thick (make) rubber gloves, and using special tongs, we make them (at) that acid test on the up and coming songs.

Gosh! I guess I figured out the name of the unknown song in the end of the "Radio" show:"I Heard My Name On The Radio" by The King Sacred Quartet.

By the way, on more little thing.. I the very begging Dylan says: "It's cold and fatty and it's raining, it's going down to 30 degrees tonight..." - if he really says "fatty" there - what exactly does it mean? (well, I understand, it it's between "cold" and "raining" - must be something 'chilly') I never heard this kind of expression in this king of context...

Gosh! I guess I figured out the name of the unknown song in the end of the "Radio" show:"I Heard My Name On The Radio" by The King Sacred Quartet.

By the way, on more little thing.. I the very begging Dylan says: "It's cold and fatty and it's raining, it's going down to 30 degrees tonight..." - if he really says "fatty" there - what exactly does it mean? (well, I understand, it it's between "cold" and "raining" - must be something 'chilly') I never heard this kind of expression in this king of context...

"It's cold and foggy and raining! It's going down to 30 degrees tonight. I don't know what it's it like where you are but that's what it's like here!"

"It's cold and foggy and raining! It's going down to 30 degrees tonight. I don't know what it's it like where you are but that's what it's like here!"

Hmm, well, that was my guess.. but actually I still can't hear "foggy" there:) Dy the way, this intro is not mine transcription, I took it from http://www.thebobdylanfanclub.com/theme ... .htm#radio - obviously, singing voice there doesn't ask "how about telling a time to meet," but rather "...to me." Anyways...Thanks very much again Fred!

As I'm sure you learned by now, Viktor, Mr. D. often bobbled his lines. He does say "fatty." I suspect he simply misread "foggy" and they decided to leave it in to confuse and bewilder later chroniclers such as us.

On the other hand, Our Host may have indulged in an ice cold fatty before the broadcast.

As I'm sure you learned by now, Viktor, Mr. D. often bobbled his lines. He does say "fatty." I suspect he simply misread "foggy" and they decided to leave it in to confuse and bewilder later chroniclers such as us.

On the other hand, Our Host may have indulged in an ice cold fatty before the broadcast.

hehe) well, anyway, I feel like I need to investigate all the possibilities. Especially since I don't really trust my perception of spoken English)

Okay, next one's up.

First of all, I really hope someone's know what song sound in the intro.

Second of all there are lots of different musical bits under Dylan's voice during the program. I don't really expect anybody to know what those are, but some of them sounded awfully familiar..

And third - traditional:Before the last song - The Robins - I can't get one saying, between “Look before you leap” and “Turn the other cheek.”And a quote from the upcoming song: ??? and the women are wearing transparent clothes; this is what Moses said to the old Pharoah, ‘You have to let my people go.'"

19 Bible

[unknown music playing in the background]

“The Lady in Red” (Ellen Barkin): It's night time in the Big City. A girl goes through the medicine cabinet of the man who brought her home. A ringing phone goes unanswered.

Bob Dylan: Get around friends, before it is time to speak of that most serious of subjects: The Good Book, The Testaments both Old and New, The Law, The Word from Up High. I’m talking about the Bible – you better listen. For the next hour we're gonna be playing music about Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, The Wisdom of Solomon, First Maccabees and Second Maccabees, First Samuel and Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings. We're gonna be playing stuff that comes out of the Psalms and the Proverbs. You know all of these. Jonah and Malachi – how come nobody's named Malachi anymore? We're gonna be playing music that has something to do with Nehemia, Esther, Job, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And of course, The Book of Revelations. So gather the family around the radio and hear the good news. Seek and you shall find. Let’s open up the chapter one. “Are You Bound for Heaven or Hell?”

[unknown music stops playing in the background]

[Rev. J.M. Gates – “Are You Bound for Heaven or Hell”]

Bob Dylan: That was Reverend J.M. Gates, he ministered in Atlanta’s Calvary Church, and first recorded in 19 and 26, he recorded over 200 sides; he once recorded 23 titles in one week. Reverend G.M. Gates, “Are You Bound for Heaven or Hell?”

Bob Dylan: Some people have to choose between heaven and hell, another people have other choices to make. Here are The Yayhoos, at the crossroads, between the bottle and a Bible; they’re stopping by the liquor store on the way to revival, heading down the road with a bottle and a Bible; it took a little longer than they hoped it would; they wanna thank the Lord for treating them good. Here are The Yayhoos, “The Bottle and a Bible.”

[The Yayhoos – “Bottle and a Bible”]

Bob Dylan: That was “The Bottle and the Bible” by The Yahoos. A song written by Terry Anderson and Dan Baird. Dan was in the group The Georgia Satellites. And guitarist – Eric Ambel – currently also plays with Steve Earle. That was from their 2001 album “Fear Not The Obvious.” And if you have to choose between the bottle and the Bible, you might be needing a 12-step program, which was started by Bill Wilson who helped spread the idea that drinking vine is a disease. If you feel 12 steps aren’t enough for you, may I recommend the Alfred Hitchcock classis “The 39 Steps.”

[“The 39 Steps” excerpt:Sheriff: [laughing]Richard Hannay: Cigarette cases, yes. But I’ve never seen it happen to a hymn book before, except on the movies.Sheriff: And this bullet stuck among the hymns, eh? Well, I’m not surprised. Some of those hymns are terrible hard to get through. I’ve stuck at ‘em meself before now. Eh? Well, it's a lesson to us all, Mr. Hannay: not to mix with doubtful company on the Sabbath.]

Bob Dylan: If you have to go higher than 39 steps, just remember – one might be too many and a hundred might not be enough.

[unknown music starts playing in the background]

Bob Dylan: The Bible is full of great stories. And a lot of them have been put to music, like this one [unknown music stops playing in the background]– the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson is described in The Book of Judges: a(s) something of a Herculean figure, utilizing massive strength. In Chapter 16 he goes to Gaza where he falls in love with Delilah at the Brook of Sorek. [unknown music starts playing in the background] The Philistines approach Delilah and induce her to try to find the secret of Samson's strength. She asks him four times, and three times he gives her a false answer. The fourth time he tells her the truth: he does not cut his hair cut his hair in fulfillment of a vow to God. Delilah betrayed him to his enemies he was captured by the Philistines who gouged out his eyes; they cut his hair and imprisoned him. [unknown music stops playing in the background] Samson prayed to the Lord: “O Sovereign Lord! Please [Rev. Gary Davis – “Samson and Delilah” starts playing] strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines. And down came the temple and all the people in it.

[Rev. Gary Davis – “Samson and Delilah”]

Bob Dylan: That was reverend Gary Davis tearing old building down with his song “Samson and Delilah.” Like a lot of other street performers, he always put gospel songs in among his blues to make it harder for the police to interrupt him. He began taking gospel more seriously, and in 19 and 37 he became an ordained minister. After that he usually refused to perform any blues.

[page turns]

Bob Dylan: Kitty Wells was one of the few country stars that was actually born in music city – she was born in Nashville, Tennessee, in 19 and 18. She met her future husband Johnnie Right – Mr. Right, of “Johnnie and Jack,” and it was him, who gave her the stage name taken from an old folk ballad called “I’m a-Gonna Marry Kitty Wells.” She began touring as a part of “Johnnie and Jack’s” show, and had a number of hits on her own. In 19 and 74 she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame – deservedly so. She sings a song here about avengful God who will send your fields on fire.

[Kitty Wells – “He Will Set Your Fields on Fire”]

Bob Dylan: That was Kitty Wells singing “He Will Set Your Fields on Fire.”

Bob Dylan: Another story of avengeful Lord is Exodus, Chapter 30, verses 7 thought 10 where Moses has to talk God out of exterminating the whole nation of Israel. But not every story from the Bible is so serious. Theme Time Radio Hour favorite Wynonie Harris has a lighthearted(?) look at a Garden of Eden with a song called “Adam Come And Get Your Rib.” She’s been cheating, she’s been lying; she’s got my poor hart crying. This is Wynonie Harris.

[Wynonie Harris – “Adam Come And Get Your Rib”]

Bob Dylan: That was Wynonie Harris with a personal plea to Adam: Come and get your rib, come and get your bone.

[unknown “Hallelujah” choir starts playing]

Bob Dylan: In 16 and 46 the philosopher Sir Thomas Brown published work which included the question about Adam and Eve navels, basically that was a controversy which said that if Adam and Eve were born of God, and not of man, they should not be depicted in portraits with navels. But not paintings by Renaissance masters, such as Michelangelo, or Raphael, clearly showed (them) – that both ha(d/ve) navels. All things to all men, ant the rest is history. [unknown “Hallelujah” choir stops playing]

[sounds of storm]

Bob Dylan: Another one of the most famous stories in the Bible is Noah’s Ark, and here it’s sung about by AA Gray and Seven Foot Dilly. I know what you’re thinking: ‘it’s a heck of a name.’ But let me explain. Guitarist, John Dilleshaw was 6 foot 7, and was known as Seven Foot Dilly, he recruited some of the best fiddlers in the area, such as Lowe Stokes, Harry Kiker, Joe Brown and AA Gray – together they recorded this song. “Noah and the devil, playing seven up(?); the devil won the ark and Noah wouldn't give it up. “The old ark's a-moving.”

[AA Gray and Seven Foot Dilly – “The Old Ark's a-Moving”]

Bob Dylan: That was “The Old Ark’s a-Moving,” and as it says in Genesis 6:14 – the vessel was to be made [sounds of the sea starts to sound in the background] with planks of gopher wood. And after 200 and 20 days the Ark came to rest. Noah sent out raven, which went to and fro until the water were dried up from the Earth. Noah sent the dove out, but it returned having found nowhere to land. Noah waited seven more days, and again sent out the dove, this time it returned with an olive leaf in its beak, [sounds of the sea stops to sound in the background] and he knew the waters had subsided. Life could go on.

[unknown organ music starts to play]

Bob Dylan: Next up: Washington Phillips – he was a pioneering gospel performer of the 20’s,[unknown organ music stops to play] recorded only 18 songs, but boy, what songs! He was a traveling preacher who accompanied himself on an unusual instrument. [Washington Phillips – “Denomination Blues” starts playing] Some say it was a dolceola which is a zither-like instrument with small keyboard; but other people say it was a modified zither, and some people even say that he played twodifferent instruments – one with his left hand and one with his right; in any event it creates a unique sound. Some of the most distinctive of all early gospel. Here’s the “Denomination Blues” by Washington Phillips.

[Washington Phillips – “Denomination Blues”]

Bob Dylan: “You can go to your college, you can go to your school, but if you don’t have Jesus, you’re uneducated fool.” That was Washington Phillips, the “Denomination Blues.” There’s a lot of mysteries in the Bible, but none of them are any more mysterious than the story of Washington Phillips: there was a story that Washington was committed to a state mental institution, less than a year after his last 78 was recorded, but some people say that he actually moved to Simsboro, Texas, and liver there ‘till 19 and 54, when he died from injuries sustained in a fall at the age of 74. Whatever story you choose to believe, we do know, he never recorded again after late 20’s.

Bob Dylan: This is Theme Time Radio Hour, the Bible edition.

Bob Dylan: Last week we talked about Syd Nathan. [Syd Nathan: Give me the song.] Here’s another little fact about him. He didn’t just own “King Records,” he owned a music-publishing company, and he loved getting more bang for his buck: he loved convincing the country music artists to record R&B songs, and vice versa, Wynonie Harris – who we heard a little while ago – recorded Hank Penny’s “Bloodshot Eyes.” Both artists were on Nathan’s “King” label. Another artist on Nathan’s label was Reno and Smiley, they had a hit with their song “I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map.” When Syd Nathan signed The Four Internes to “King Records,” he had them re-record “I'm Using My Bible...” And they did it a little differently than the Reno and Smiley county style. Here’s what it sounded like when Reno and Smiley did it.

[an excerpt from Reno and Smiley – “I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map”]

Bob Dylan: And here’s a slightly different version by The Four Internes. Give a listen.

Bob Dylan: “I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map” by The Four Internes. There are over 20 million Bibles distributed every year. And a Bible can be read aloud in 70 hours. Though you might wanna take a nap between Old and New Testaments. Nine of every ten Americans own at least one Bible. What’s up with the other guy?

Bob Dylan: One person you’d be surprised to hear talk about the Bible is Keb’ Mo’ . Listen to what he has to say.

[Keb’ Mo’: When I look at the Bible and they say this is the book about God’s word – I don’t think God is that confusing. Why would God write such a confusing book? I think it’s written by men trying to misinterpret the word of God. But everything is word of God, ‘cause we all a product of God. I mean, I think God has showed up in many, many books, God showed up in... songs. You know, God Has showed up in a lot of places so I think the Bible gets too much credit for being the only word of God.]

[Ollabelle – “Elijah Rock” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: Here’s the song written about Elijah, it’s a traditional song performed here by Ollabelle – a New York band led by Amy Helm, daughter of Levon Helm. Here’s Ollabelle with their version of “Elijah Rock.”

[Ollabelle – “Elijah Rock”]

Bob Dylan: That’s Amy Helm and Ollabelle, with their version of “Elijah Rock.” The record put out by T-Bone Burnett – he’s always been a man of great taste. Thank you, T-Bone. Elijah is a heroic figure in the Jewish tradition. Every(?) Passover, a special cup of wine is filled and put on the table; the door of the house is left open, and a chair is left empty in case Elijah the Prophet decides to come in, and join the festivities.

[“The Ten Commandments” excerpt:“How long will you refuse to humble yourself before God?”“If you bring another plague upon us, it is not your god, but I who will turn the Nile red with blood.If there is one more plague on Egypt, it is by your word that God will bring it. And there shall be so great a cry throughout the land that you will surely let the people go.”]

Bob Dylan: Next up, on Theme Time Radio Hour, we’re gonna visit “The Rivers of Babylon,” (that) sung about by The Melodians. A vocal trio who are considered one of Jamaica’s greatest rocksteady groups.

[The Melodians – “The Rivers Of Babylon” starts playing]

Bob Dylan: In this song, they talk about the rivers of Babylon. The song “Rivers of Babylon” is based on the biblical hums Psalm 137 that expresses the yearnings of the Jewish people in exile following the conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The Melodians’ version, on the other hand, is from 19 and 69 – AD.

[The Melodians – “The Rivers Of Babylon”]

Bob Dylan: That was “The Rivers of Babylon” by The Melodians. The rivers of Babylon are considered: the Euphrates river, its tributaries, and the Chebar river. The name “Bayblon” comes from Babilu which means the “Gate of God.” It is an ancient city on the Euphrates river about 50 miles south of modern Baghdad.

Bob Dylan: The Book of Revelation or The Apocalypse of John [sounds like “dawn” though] is the last collection book of the New Testament. It is the only Biblical book that is wholly composed of apocalyptic literature. The book is frequently called by the in correct name “The Book of Revelations,” however the actual title of the book is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ unto His Servant John,” as it is rendered in the first verse. (http://www.armageddonchurch.com/?St._Jo ... Revelation.) And here’s Blind Willie Johnson – one of the best bottleneck slide gospel blues guitarists – to put the story of John the Revelator to music.

[Blind Willie Johnson – “The Revelator”]

Bob Dylan: That was “John the Revelator” by Blind Willie Johnson.

Bob Dylan: We got an email from an “R.” McGuinn from Kissimmee, Florida. He writes: “Dear Bob! Congratulations on the show! I understand you’re gonna do one about the Bible – I’ve always been partial to a particular set of verses, can you guess what they are? Sincerely yours, R. McGuinn.” Well, R. thanks for writing and I got a pretty good idea what you’re talking about. I’m guessing it’s Ecclesiastics verses 3 chapters 1 through 8: To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war; and a time of peace.I bet that what you where thinking of. Am I right?

[bells ringing]

Bob Dylan: Next up: Jess Willard. Jess was named after a boxer who took the heavyweight championship away from Jack Johnson. Jess Willard hooked up with cowboy singer Jack Guthrie, and Guthrie became his chief musical influence. After Jack Guthrie died of tuberculosis in 19 and 48, Willard vowed to carryon his music. I think he did a pretty good job. Like this song, “Boogie Woogie Preaching Man,” from 1951.

[Jess Willard – “Boogie Woogie Preaching Man”]

Bob Dylan: That was Jess Willard or as he called himself “A plain old country boy.” He wrote the song “Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor” that Johnny Horton had a hit with. And he was heard here with Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West.

Bob Dylan: There are 66 books in the Bible, one thousand one hundred and 89 chapters, 31 thousand one hundred and one(*) verses, there 12 hundred and 60 proph(m*)esies, there are over 8 thousand predictions, there are 6 thousand 4 hundred and 69 commands. The Bible’s been translated into over 12 hundred languages. The shortest verse in the Bible is just two words long, it’s John, chapter 11, verse 35: “Jesus wept.”

Bob Dylan: There a lot of tears in the Bible, and here are The Swan Silvertones, telling Mary not to cry, with their great song for the “Vee-Jay” record label “Oh Mary Don't You Weep.”

[The Swan Silvertones – “Oh Mary Don't You Weep”]

Bob Dylan: That was reverend Claude Jeter with The Swan Silvertones – a big influence in Al Green, and if you listened closely to that song you might have heard Claude Jeter say: “I'll be your bridge over deep water, if you trust in my name,” a phrase that inspired Paul Simon, a few years later, to write some song.

Bob Dylan: (Some of the things) you hear every day originate from the Bible; how many times have you heard: “Go on the straight and narrow?” You ever say to somebody, you’ve done with something and wanna wash your hands of it? “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” “Seek and you shall fond,” “Look before you leap,” ???, “Turn the other cheek,” and “The love of money is the root of all evil.” That’s in the Bible!

[choir]

Bob Dylan: We got time for one more, on tonight show. This one’s by The Robins. Biblical in scope, rhythm and blues in nature. This is the kind of Bible study you don't get in Sunday school, where ??? and the women are wearing transparent clothes; this is what Moses said to the old Pharoah, ‘You have to let my people go.’ “That’s What the Good book Says.” By The Robins.

[The Robins – “That's What the Good Book Says”]

Bob Dylan: That was The Robins, that later on became Coasters, “That's What the Good Book Says.” And what's a rhythm and blues gospel song without a vibraphone solo, that one probably played by Johnny Otis.

[“The Night of the Hunter” excerpt:Rev. Harry Powell: H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low. L-O-V-E! The right hand, friends, the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. These fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warring and a-tugging, one agin t'other. Now watch 'em! Old brother left hand, left hand he's a fighting, and it looks like love's a goner. Wait a minute! Hot dog, love's a winning! Yessirree! It's love that's won, and old left hand hate is down for the count!]

[bells ringin]

Bob Dylan: Well, it’s time for me to say goodbye and and turn the other cheek and head out of the Abernathy Building, down the street, past the church, and down to Samson's Diner. And in the meantime, eat, drink, and be merry and forgive them, for they know not what they do. We'll see you next week on Theme Time Radio Hour. Amen.

[“Top Cat (underscore)”]

“Pierre Mancini”: You’ve been listening to Theme Time Radio Hour, with your host, Bob Dylan. Produced by Eddie Gorodetsky. Associate producer, Sonny Webster. Continuity by “Eeps” Martin. Edited by Damian Rodriguez. Supervising editor, Rob Macomber. The Theme Time research team: Diane Lapson and Bernie Bernstein, with additional research by Lynne Sheridan, Kimberly Williams, and Robert Bower. Production assistance by Jim McBean. Special thanks to Randy Ezratty, Debbie Sweeney, Coco Shinomiya, and Samson's Diner. For XM Radio, Lee Abrams. Recorded in Studio B, The Abernathy Building. This has been a Grey Water Park Production in Association with Big Red Tree.

“Pierre Mancini”: This is your announcer, Pierre Mancini, speaking.

“Pierre Mancini”: Join us again next week for Theme Time Radio Hour, when the subject is, “Musical Map.”

Bob Dylan: Remember, blessed are the peacemakers .

[“Life of Brian” exceprpt:Bearded Man: What was that?Wiseguy: I don't know.Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers."]

Hey Victor--I have to pull out the "Flowers" episode from some large stack of CD's to answer your question from awhile back, but as for the opening music in "The Bible" episode: Miles Davis, "It Ain't Necessarily So" from Porgy and Bess.

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